Methods and compositions for inducing apoptosis in cancer cells

ABSTRACT

Anti-DR5 antibody agonists, combined with apoptosis-inducing agents, synergistically induce apoptosis in cancer cells.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of Ser. No.10/723,383, filed Nov. 25, 2003, which claims benefit to the followingfour U.S. Provisional Patent Applications: 60/504,901, filed Sep. 22,2003; 60/494,714, filed Aug. 12, 2003; 60/448,960, filed Feb. 21, 2003;and 60/429,842, filed Nov. 27, 2002, each of which are incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Apoptosis is a highly conserved cell suicide program essential fordevelopment and tissue homeostasis of all metazoan organisms. Changes tothe apoptotic pathway that prevent or delay normal cell turnover can bejust as important in the pathogenesis of diseases as are abnormalitiesin the regulation of the cell cycle. Like cell division, which iscontrolled through complex interactions between cell cycle regulatoryproteins, apoptosis is similarly regulated under normal circumstances bythe interaction of gene products that either prevent or induce celldeath.

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL, also referred to as Apo2L)is a member of the TNF cytokine family. Upon binding to DR4 or DR5, twomembers of the TNF receptor super family, TRAIL induces cell death byapoptosis. See, e.g., Pan et al., Science 277:815-8 (1997); Sheridan, etal., Science 277:818-21 3 (1997); Walczak et al, EMBO J. 16:5386-97 4(1997). In vitro, TRAIL has been shown to kill tumor cells, but isrelatively non-toxic to normal cells.

Additional therapies are needed to treat cancer. The present inventionaddresses this and other problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides methods of inducing apoptosis in a cancercell. In some embodiments, the method comprises contacting the cell with(i.) an anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 affinity agent agonist; and (ii.) anapoptosis-inducing agent. In some embodiments, the agonist is ananti-DR-5 antibody. In some embodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody has thebinding specificity of an antibody comprising a heavy chain variableregion comprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and alight chain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody comprises a heavy chain variableregion comprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and alight chain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody is Antibody A (ATCC Deposit No.______). In some embodiments, the agonist is an anti-DR4 antibody.

In some embodiments, the cell is contacted with an anti-DR4 antibodyagonist and an anti-DR5 antibody agonist.

In some embodiments, the agonist is a humanized antibody. In someembodiments, the agonist is a single chain antibody.

In some embodiments, the agent prevents or reduces the expression ofBCL-2 or UbcH10. In some embodiments, the agent prevents activation ofNFκB. In some embodiments, the agent prevents degradation of IκB. Insome embodiments, the agent is a proteasome inhibitor. In someembodiments, the proteasome inhibitor is selected from the groupconsisting of PS-341, MG-262 and MG-132.

In some embodiments, the agent is an inhibitor of an Inhibitor ofApoptosis (IAP) protein. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is SMAC or aSMAC mimetic.

In some embodiments, the agent is an inhibitor of a polypeptide selectedfrom the group consisting of plexin B1 (PLXNB1), SET domain-containingprotein 7 (SET7), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5(MAP3K5), STE20-like kinase (JIK), MAP kinase-interactingserine/threonine kinase 1 (MKNK1), putative endoplasmic reticulummultispan transmembrane protein (RFT1), 5-kinase, type I, gamma(PIP5K1C), mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2(MAPKAPK2), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5 (MAP2K5),cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), activin A receptor type II-like 1(ACVRL1), Gardner-Rasheed feline sarcoma viral (v-fgr) oncogene homolog(FGR), hypothetical protein FLJ21802 (FLJ21802), muscle, skeletal,receptor tyrosine kinase (MUSK), chromosome 20 open reading frame 88(C20orf88), budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 (yeast homolog)(BUB1), ribosomal protein S6 kinase, 90 kD, polypeptide 5 (RPS6KA5),v-yes-1 Yamaguchi sarcoma viral related oncogene homolog (LYN),mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7), and v-akt murine thymomaviral oncogene homolog 1 (AKT1).

In some embodiments, the agent is an activator of a polypeptide selectedfrom the group consisting of signal recognition particle 72 kD (SRP72),Caspase-8, Bid, B lymphoid tyrosine kinase (BLK), gene product similarto Pyruvate kinase, M2 isozyme (LOC148283), glycogen synthase kinase 3alpha (GSK3A), hypothetical protein FLJ32312 (FLJ32312),mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10), TCF4: transcription factor4, v-abl Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2 (arg,Abelson-related gene) (ABL2), v-ros avian UR2 sarcoma virus oncogenehomolog 1 (ROS1) and v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogenehomolog.

In some embodiments, the cancer cell is a colon cancer cell or apancreatic cancer cell.

In some embodiments, the agent is an antagonist of PAK1. In someembodiments, the agent is an antagonist of a polypeptide selected fromthe group consisting of UbcH10, nsurf, stk12, Ask1 and JIK. In someembodiments, the agent is an siRNA molecule.

The present invention also provides methods of inducing apoptosis in acancer cell in an individual in need thereof. In some embodiments, themethod comprises administering to the individual a therapeuticallyeffective amount of (i.) an anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 affinity agent agonist;and (ii.) an apoptosis-inducing agent.

In some embodiments, the agonist and the agent are administeredseparately. In some embodiments, the agonist and the agent areadministered as a mixture. In some embodiments, the agonist is ananti-DR-5 antibody. In some embodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody has thebinding specificity of an antibody comprising a heavy chain variableregion comprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and alight chain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody comprises a heavy chain variableregion comprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and alight chain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody is Antibody A (ATCC Deposit No.______). In some embodiments, the agonist is an anti-DR4 antibody. Insome embodiments, the cell is contacted with an anti-DR4 antibodyagonist and an anti-DR5 antibody agonist.

In some embodiments, the agonist is a humanized antibody. In someembodiments, the agonist is a single chain antibody.

In some embodiments, the agent prevents or reduces the expression ofBCL-2 or UbcH10. In some embodiments, the agent prevents activation ofNFκB. In some embodiments, the agent prevents degradation of IκB. Insome embodiments, the agent is a proteasome inhibitor. In someembodiments, the proteasome inhibitor is selected from the groupconsisting of PS-341, MG-262 and MG-132.

In some embodiments, the agent is an inhibitor of an Inhibitor ofApoptosis (IAP) protein. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is SMAC or aSMAC mimetic.

In some embodiments, the cancer cell is a colon cancer cell or apancreatic cancer cell. In some embodiments, the agent is an antagonistof PAK1. In some embodiments, the agent is an antagonist of apolypeptide selected from the group consisting of UbcH10, nsurf, stk12,Ask1 and JIK. In some embodiments, the agent is an siRNA molecule.

The present invention also provides a physiological compositioncomprising a therapeutically effective amount of (i.) an anti-DR4 oranti-DR5 antibody agonist; and (ii.) an apoptosis-inducing agent. Insome embodiments, the agonist is an anti-DR-5 antibody. In someembodiments, the anti-DR5 antibody has the binding specificity of anantibody comprising a heavy chain variable region comprising thesequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and a light chain variableregion as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In some embodiments, theanti-DR5 antibody comprises a heavy chain variable region comprising thesequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and a light chain variableregion as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In some embodiments, theanti-DR5 antibody is Antibody A (ATCC Deposit No. ______). In someembodiments, the agonist is an anti-DR4 antibody. In some embodiments,the cell is contacted with an anti-DR4 antibody agonist and an anti-DR5antibody agonist.

In some embodiments, the agonist is a humanized antibody. In someembodiments, the agonist is a single chain antibody. In someembodiments, the agent prevents or reduces the expression of BCL-2 orUbcH10. In some embodiments, the agent prevents activation of NFκB. Insome embodiments, the agent prevents degradation of IκB. In someembodiments, the agent is a proteasome inhibitor. In some embodiments,the proteasome inhibitor is selected from the group consisting ofPS-341, MG-262 and MG-132.

In some embodiments, the agent is an inhibitor of an Inhibitor ofApoptosis (IAP) protein. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is SMAC or aSMAC mimetic.

In some embodiments, the agent is an antagonist of PAK1. In someembodiments, the agent is an antagonist of a polypeptide selected fromthe group consisting of UbcH10, nsurf, stk12, Ask1 and JIK. In someembodiments, the agent is an siRNA molecule.

The present invention also provides affinity agents with the bindingspecificity of an antibody comprising a heavy chain variable regioncomprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and a lightchain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the affinity agents are antibodies comprising a heavy chainvariable region comprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35and a light chain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35.

The present invention also provides cells expressing an antibodycomprising a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequencedisplayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and a light chain variable region asdisplayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35.

The present invention also provides methods of inducing apoptosis in acancer cell comprising contacting the cell with an affinity agent withthe binding specificity of an antibody comprising a heavy chain variableregion comprising the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and alight chain variable region as displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In someembodiments, the agonist is an anti-DR-5 antibody. In some embodiments,the anti-DR5 antibody has the binding specificity of an antibodycomprising a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequencedisplayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and a light chain variable region asdisplayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In some embodiments, the anti-DR5antibody comprises a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequencedisplayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and a light chain variable region asdisplayed in FIG. 25 or FIG. 35. In some embodiments, the anti-DR5antibody is Antibody A (ATCC Deposit No. ______).

DEFINITIONS

“Antibody” refers to a polypeptide comprising a framework region from animmunoglobulin gene or fragments thereof that specifically binds andrecognizes an antigen. The recognized immunoglobulin genes include thekappa, lambda, alpha, gamma, delta, epsilon, and mu constant regiongenes, as well as the myriad immunoglobulin variable region genes. Lightchains are classified as either kappa or lambda. Heavy chains areclassified as gamma, mu, alpha, delta, or epsilon, which in turn definethe immunoglobulin classes, IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD and IgE, respectively.

Naturally occurring immunoglobulins have a common core structure inwhich two identical light chains (about 24 kD) and two identical heavychains (about 55 or 70 kD) form a tetramer. The amino-terminal portionof each chain is known as the variable (V) region and can bedistinguished from the more conserved constant (C) regions of theremainder of each chain. Within the variable region of the light chainis a C-terminal portion known as the J region. Within the variableregion of the heavy chain, there is a D region in addition to the Jregion. Most of the amino acid sequence variation in immunoglobulins isconfined to three separate locations in the V regions known ashypervariable regions or complementarity determining regions (CDRs)which are directly involved in antigen binding. Proceeding from theamino-terminus, these regions are designated CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3,respectively. The CDRs are held in place by more conserved frameworkregions (FRs). Proceeding from the amino-terminus, these regions aredesignated FRI, FR2, FR3, and FR4, respectively. The locations of CDRand FR regions and a numbering system have been defined by, e.g., Kabatet al. (Kabat et al., Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest,Fifth Edition, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S.Government Printing Office (1991)).

An exemplary immunoglobulin (antibody) structural unit comprises atetramer. Each tetramer is composed of two identical pairs ofpolypeptide chains, each pair having one “light” (about 25 kDa) and one“heavy” chain (about 50-70 kDa). The N-terminus of each chain defines avariable region of about 100 to 110 or more amino acids primarilyresponsible for antigen recognition. The terms variable light chain(V_(L)) and variable heavy chain (V_(H)) refer to these light and heavychains respectively.

Antibodies exist, e.g., as intact immunoglobulins or as a number ofwell-characterized fragments produced by digestion with variouspeptidases. Thus, for example, pepsin digests an antibody below thedisulfide linkages in the hinge region to produce F(ab)′₂, a dimer ofFab which itself is a light chain joined to V_(H)-C_(H1) by a disulfidebond. The F(ab)′₂ may be reduced under mild conditions to break thedisulfide linkage in the hinge region, thereby converting the F(ab)′₂dimer into an Fab′ monomer. The Fab′ monomer is essentially Fab withpart of the hinge region (see FUNDAMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY (Paul ed., 3d ed.1993). While various antibody fragments are defined in terms of thedigestion of an intact antibody, one of skill will appreciate that suchfragments may be synthesized de novo either chemically or by usingrecombinant DNA methodology. Thus, the term antibody, as used herein,also includes antibody fragments either produced by the modification ofwhole antibodies, or those synthesized de novo using recombinant DNAmethodologies (e.g., single chain Fv) or those identified using phagedisplay libraries (see, e.g., McCafferty et al., Nature 348:552-554(1990)).

For preparation of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies, any techniqueknown in the art can be used (see, e.g., Kohler & Milstein, Nature256:495-497 (1975); Kozbor et al., Immunology Today 4:72 (1983); Cole etal., pp. 77-96 in Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy (1985)).“Monoclonal” antibodies refer to antibodies derived from a single clone.Techniques for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S. Pat. No.4,946,778) can be adapted to produce antibodies to polypeptides of thisinvention. Also, transgenic mice, or other organisms such as othermammals, may be used to express humanized antibodies. Alternatively,phage display technology can be used to identify antibodies andheteromeric Fab fragments that specifically bind to selected antigens(see, e.g., McCafferty et al., Nature 348:552-554 (1990); Marks et al.,Biotechnology 10:779-783 (1992)).

A “chimeric antibody” is an antibody molecule in which (a) the constantregion, or a portion thereof, is altered, replaced or exchanged so thatthe antigen binding site (variable region) is linked to a constantregion of a different or altered class, effector function and/orspecies, or an entirely different molecule which confers new propertiesto the chimeric antibody, e.g., an enzyme, toxin, hormone, growthfactor, drug, etc.; or (b) the variable region, or a portion thereof, isaltered, replaced or exchanged with a variable region having a differentor altered antigen specificity.

A “humanized” antibody is an antibody that retains the reactivity of anon-human antibody while being less immunogenic in humans. This can beachieved, for instance, by retaining the non-human CDR regions andreplacing the remaining parts of the antibody with their humancounterparts. See, e.g., Morrison et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,81:6851-6855 (1984); Morrison and Oi, Adv. Immunol., 44:65-92 (1988);Verhoeyen et al., Science, 239:1534-1536 (1988); Padlan, Molec. Immun.,28:489-498 (1991); Padlan, Molec. Immun., 31(3):169-217 (1994).

The phrase “specifically (or selectively) binds” to an antibody or“specifically (or selectively) immunoreactive with,” when referring to aprotein or peptide, refers to a binding reaction that is determinativeof the presence of the protein in a heterogeneous population of proteinsand other biologics. Thus, under designated immunoassay conditions, thespecified antibodies bind to a particular protein at least two times thebackground and do not substantially bind in a significant amount toother proteins present in the sample. Specific binding to an antibodyunder such conditions may require an antibody that is selected for itsspecificity for a particular protein. This selection may be achieved bysubtracting out antibodies that cross-react with, e.g., DR5 moleculesfrom other species. A variety of immunoassay formats may be used toselect antibodies specifically immunoreactive with a particular protein.For example, solid-phase ELISA immunoassays are routinely used to selectantibodies specifically immunoreactive with a protein (see, e.g., Harlow& Lane, Antibodies, A Laboratory Manual (1988), for a description ofimmunoassay formats and conditions that can be used to determinespecific immunoreactivity). Typically a specific or selective reactionwill be at least twice background signal or noise and more typicallymore than 10 to 100 times background.

The terms “peptidomimetic” and “mimetic” refer to a synthetic chemicalcompound that has substantially the same structural and functionalcharacteristics of a naturally or non-naturally occurring polypeptide(e.g., SMAC). Peptide analogs are commonly used in the pharmaceuticalindustry as non-peptide drugs with properties analogous to those of thetemplate peptide. These types of non-peptide compound are termed“peptide mimetics” or “peptidomimetics” (Fauchere, J. Adv. Drug Res.15:29 (1986); Veber and Freidinger TINS p. 392 (1985); and Evans et al.J. Med. Chem. 30:1229 (1987), which are incorporated herein byreference). Peptide mimetics that are structurally similar totherapeutically useful peptides may be used to produce an equivalent orenhanced therapeutic or prophylactic effect. Generally, peptidomimeticsare structurally similar to a paradigm polypeptide (i.e., a polypeptidethat has a biological or pharmacological activity), such as found in apolypeptide of interest, but have one or more peptide linkagesoptionally replaced by a linkage selected from the group consisting of,e.g., —CH₂NH—, —CH₂S—, —CH₂—CH₂—, —CH═CH— (cis and trans), —COCH₂—,—CH(OH)CH₂—, and —CH₂SO—. The mimetic can be either entirely composed ofsynthetic, non-natural analogues of amino acids, or, is a chimericmolecule of partly natural peptide amino acids and partly non-naturalanalogs of amino acids. The mimetic can also incorporate any amount ofnatural amino acid conservative substitutions as long as suchsubstitutions also do not substantially alter the mimetic's structureand/or activity. For example, a mimetic composition is within the scopeof the invention if it is capable of carrying out at least one of thebinding or enzymatic activities of a polypeptide of interest.

“siRNA” refers to small interfering RNAs, that are capable of causinginterference and can cause post-transcriptional silencing of specificgenes in cells, for example, mammalian cells (including human cells) andin the body, for example, mammalian bodies (including humans). Thephenomenon of RNA interference is described and discussed in Bass,Nature 411: 428-29 (2001); Elbahir et al., Nature 411: 494-98 (2001);and Fire et al., Nature 391: 806-11 (1998); and WO 01/75164, wheremethods of making interfering RNA also are discussed. The siRNAs basedupon the sequences and nucleic acids encoding the gene productsdisclosed herein typically have fewer than 100 base pairs and can be,e.g., about 30 bps or shorter, and can be made by approaches known inthe art, including the use of complementary DNA strands or syntheticapproaches. The siRNAs are capable of causing interference and can causepost-transcriptional silencing of specific genes in cells, for example,mammalian cells (including human cells) and in the body, for example,mammalian bodies (including humans). Exemplary siRNAs according to theinvention could have up to 29 bps, 25 bps, 22 bps, 21 bps, 20 bps, 15bps, 10 bps, 5 bps or any integer thereabout or therebetween. Tools fordesigning optimal inhibitory siRNAs include that available fromDNAengine Inc. (Seattle, Wash.) and Ambion, Inc. (Austin, Tex.).

One RNAi technique employs genetic constructs within which sense andanti-sense sequences are placed in regions flanking an intron sequencein proper splicing orientation with donor and acceptor splicing sites.Alternatively, spacer sequences of various lengths may be employed toseparate self-complementary regions of sequence in the construct. Duringprocessing of the gene construct transcript, intron sequences arespliced-out, allowing sense and anti-sense sequences, as well as splicejunction sequences, to bind forming double-stranded RNA. Selectribonucleases then bind to and cleave the double-stranded RNA, therebyinitiating the cascade of events leading to degradation of specific mRNAgene sequences, and silencing specific genes.

“Nucleic acid” refers to deoxyribonucleotides or ribonucleotides andpolymers thereof in either single- or double-stranded form. The termencompasses nucleic acids containing known nucleotide analogs ormodified backbone residues or linkages, which are synthetic, naturallyoccurring, and non-naturally occurring, which have similar bindingproperties as the reference nucleic acid, and which are metabolized in amanner similar to the reference nucleotides. Examples of such analogsinclude, without limitation, phosphorothioates, phosphoramidates, methylphosphonates, chiral-methyl phosphonates, 2-O-methyl ribonucleotides,peptide-nucleic acids (PNAs).

Unless otherwise indicated, a particular nucleic acid sequence alsoimplicitly encompasses conservatively modified variants thereof (e.g.,degenerate codon substitutions) and complementary sequences, as well asthe sequence explicitly indicated. Specifically, degenerate codonsubstitutions may be achieved by generating sequences in which the thirdposition of one or more selected (or all) codons is substituted withmixed-base and/or deoxyinosine residues (Batzer et al., Nucleic AcidRes. 19:5081 (1991); Ohtsuka et al., J. Biol. Chem. 260:2605-2608(1985); Rossolini et al., Mol. Cell. Probes 8:91-98 (1994)). The term“nucleic acid” encompasses the terms gene, cDNA, mRNA, oligonucleotide,and polynucleotide.

The terms “polypeptide,” “peptide” and “protein” are usedinterchangeably herein to refer to a polymer of amino acid residues. Theterms apply to amino acid polymers in which one or more amino acidresidue is an artificial chemical mimetic of a corresponding naturallyoccurring amino acid, as well as to naturally occurring amino acidpolymers and non-naturally occurring amino acid polymer.

The term “amino acid” refers to naturally occurring and synthetic aminoacids, as well as amino acid analogs and amino acid mimetics thatfunction in a manner similar to the naturally occurring amino acids.Naturally occurring amino acids are those encoded by the genetic code,as well as those amino acids that are later modified, e.g.,hydroxyproline, .gamma.-carboxyglutamate, and O-phosphoserine. Aminoacid analogs refer to compounds that have the same basic chemicalstructure as a naturally occurring amino acid, i.e., an alpha. carbonthat is bound to a hydrogen, a carboxyl group, an amino group, and an Rgroup, e.g., homoserine, norleucine, methionine sulfoxide, methioninemethyl sulfonium. Such analogs have modified R groups (e.g., norleucine)or modified peptide backbones, but retain the same basic chemicalstructure as a naturally occurring amino acid. Amino acid mimeticsrefers to chemical compounds that have a structure that is differentfrom the general chemical structure of an amino acid, but that functionsin a manner similar to a naturally occurring amino acid.

“Conservatively modified variants” applies to both amino acid andnucleic acid sequences. With respect to particular nucleic acidsequences, conservatively modified variants refers to those nucleicacids which encode identical or essentially identical amino acidsequences, or where the nucleic acid does not encode an amino acidsequence, to essentially identical sequences. Because of the degeneracyof the genetic code, a large number of functionally identical nucleicacids encode any given protein. For instance, the codons GCA, GCC, GCGand GCU all encode the amino acid alanine. Thus, at every position wherean alanine is specified by a codon, the codon can be altered to any ofthe corresponding codons described without altering the encodedpolypeptide. Such nucleic acid variations are “silent variations,” whichare one species of conservatively modified variations. Every nucleicacid sequence herein which encodes a polypeptide also describes everypossible silent variation of the nucleic acid. One of skill willrecognize that each codon in a nucleic acid (except AUG, which isordinarily the only codon for methionine, and TGG, which is ordinarilythe only codon for tryptophan) can be modified to yield a functionallyidentical molecule. Accordingly, each silent variation of a nucleic acidthat encodes a polypeptide is implicit in each described sequence.

As to amino acid sequences, one of skill will recognize that individualsubstitutions, deletions or additions to a nucleic acid, peptide,polypeptide, or protein sequence which alters, adds or deletes a singleamino acid or a small percentage of amino acids in the encoded sequenceis a “conservatively modified variant” where the alteration results inthe substitution of an amino acid with a chemically similar amino acid.Conservative substitution tables providing functionally similar aminoacids are well known in the art. Such conservatively modified variantsare in addition to and do not exclude polymorphic variants, interspecieshomologs, and alleles of the invention.

The following eight groups each contain amino acids that areconservative substitutions for one another:

-   1) Alanine (A), Glycine (G);-   2) Aspartic acid (D), Glutamic acid (E);-   3) Asparagine (N), Glutamine (Q);-   4) Arginine (R), Lysine (K);-   5) Isoleucine (I), Leucine (L), Methionine (M), Valine (V);-   6) Phenylalanine (F), Tyrosine (Y), Tryptophan (W);-   7) Serine (S), Threonine (T); and-   8) Cysteine (C), Methionine (M) (see, e.g., Creighton, Proteins    (1984)).

“Percentage of sequence identity” is determined by comparing twooptimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, wherein theportion of the polynucleotide sequence in the comparison window maycomprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) as compared to thereference sequence (e.g., a polypeptide of the invention), which doesnot comprise additions or deletions, for optimal alignment of the twosequences. The percentage is calculated by determining the number ofpositions at which the identical nucleic acid base or amino acid residueoccurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions,dividing the number of matched positions by the total number ofpositions in the window of comparison and multiplying the result by 100to yield the percentage of sequence identity.

The terms “identical” or percent “identity,” in the context of two ormore nucleic acids or polypeptide sequences, refer to two or moresequences or subsequences that are the same sequences. Two sequences are“substantially identical” if two sequences have a specified percentageof amino acid residues or nucleotides that are the same (i.e., 60%identity, optionally 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% identity overa specified region, or, when not specified, over the entire sequence),when compared and aligned for maximum correspondence over a comparisonwindow, or designated region as measured using one of the followingsequence comparison algorithms or by manual alignment and visualinspection. The invention provides polypeptides or polynucleotides thatare substantially identical to the polypeptides or polynucleotides,respectively, exemplified herein (e.g., the CDRs exemplified in FIGS.23-25). Optionally, the identity exists over a region that is at leastabout 50 nucleotides in length, or more preferably over a region that is100 to 500 or 1000 or more nucleotides in length.

For sequence comparison, typically one sequence acts as a referencesequence, to which test sequences are compared. When using a sequencecomparison algorithm, test and reference sequences are entered into acomputer, subsequence coordinates are designated, if necessary, andsequence algorithm program parameters are designated. Default programparameters can be used, or alternative parameters can be designated. Thesequence comparison algorithm then calculates the percent sequenceidentities for the test sequences relative to the reference sequence,based on the program parameters.

A “comparison window”, as used herein, includes reference to a segmentof any one of the number of contiguous positions selected from the groupconsisting of from 20 to 600, usually about 50 to about 200, moreusually about 100 to about 150 in which a sequence may be compared to areference sequence of the same number of contiguous positions after thetwo sequences are optimally aligned. Methods of alignment of sequencesfor comparison are well known in the art. Optimal alignment of sequencesfor comparison can be conducted, e.g., by the local homology algorithmof Smith and Waterman (1970) Adv. Appl. Math. 2:482c, by the homologyalignment algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (1970) J. Mol. Biol. 48:443,by the search for similarity method of Pearson and Lipman (1988) Proc.Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 85:2444, by computerized implementations of thesealgorithms (GAP, BESTFIT, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin GeneticsSoftware Package, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr., Madison,Wis.), or by manual alignment and visual inspection (see, e.g., Ausubelet al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (1995 supplement)).

Two examples of algorithms that are suitable for determining percentsequence identity and sequence similarity are the BLAST and BLAST 2.0algorithms, which are described in Altschul et al. (1977) Nuc. AcidsRes. 25:3389-3402, and Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410,respectively. Software for performing BLAST analyses is publiclyavailable through the National Center for Biotechnology Information.This algorithm involves first identifying high scoring sequence pairs(HSPs) by identifying short words of length W in the query sequence,which either match or satisfy some positive-valued threshold score Twhen aligned with a word of the same length in a database sequence. T isreferred to as the neighborhood word score threshold (Altschul et al.,supra). These initial neighborhood word hits act as seeds for initiatingsearches to find longer HSPs containing them. The word hits are extendedin both directions along each sequence for as far as the cumulativealignment score can be increased. Cumulative scores are calculatedusing, for nucleotide sequences, the parameters M (reward score for apair of matching residues; always >0) and N (penalty score formismatching residues; always <0). For amino acid sequences, a scoringmatrix is used to calculate the cumulative score. Extension of the wordhits in each direction are halted when: the cumulative alignment scorefalls off by the quantity X from its maximum achieved value; thecumulative score goes to zero or below, due to the accumulation of oneor more negative-scoring residue alignments; or the end of eithersequence is reached. The BLAST algorithm parameters W, T, and Xdetermine the sensitivity and speed of the alignment. The BLASTN program(for nucleotide sequences) uses as defaults a wordlength (W) of 11, anexpectation (E) or 10, M=5, N=−4 and a comparison of both strands. Foramino acid sequences, the BLASTP program uses as defaults a wordlengthof 3, and expectation (E) of 10, and the BLOSUM62 scoring matrix (seeHenikoff and Henikoff (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915)alignments (B) of 50, expectation (E) of 10, M=5, N=−4, and a comparisonof both strands.

The BLAST algorithm also performs a statistical analysis of thesimilarity between two sequences (see, e.g., Karlin and Altschul (1993)Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:5873-5787). One measure of similarityprovided by the BLAST algorithm is the smallest sum probability (P(N)),which provides an indication of the probability by which a match betweentwo nucleotide or amino acid sequences would occur by chance. Forexample, a nucleic acid is considered similar to a reference sequence ifthe smallest sum probability in a comparison of the test nucleic acid tothe reference nucleic acid is less than about 0.2, more preferably lessthan about 0.01, and most preferably less than about 0.001.

An indication that two nucleic acid sequences or polypeptides aresubstantially identical is that the polypeptide encoded by the firstnucleic acid is immunologically cross reactive with the antibodiesraised against the polypeptide encoded by the second nucleic acid, asdescribed below. Thus, a polypeptide is typically substantiallyidentical to a second polypeptide, for example, where the two peptidesdiffer only by conservative substitutions. Another indication that twonucleic acid sequences are substantially identical is that the twomolecules or their complements hybridize to each other under stringentconditions, as described below. Yet another indication that two nucleicacid sequences are substantially identical is that the same primers canbe used to amplify the sequence.

The term “affinity agent agonist” refers to an affinity agent (i.e., amolecule that specifically binds a target molecule) capable ofactivating a receptor to induce a full or partial receptor-mediatedresponse. For example, an agonist of DR4 or DR5 binds to DR4 or DR5 andinduces DR4 or DR5-mediated signaling. In some embodiments, a DR4 or DR5affinity agent agonist can be identified by its ability to bind to DR4or DR5 and induce apoptosis when contacted to Jurkat cells. An “antibodyagonist” refers to the situation where the affinity agent is anantibody.

The term “apoptosis-inducing agent” refers to a compound that induces orpromotes apoptosis in at least one cell type when contacted to the celltype. Exemplary apoptosis-inducing agents include, e.g., agonists ormimetics of the following: SMAC, Bax, Bik, Bok, Bim, Bak, Bid, Noxa,Puma, Hrk, or Bad; BH3, p53, TRAIL ligand, Fadd, Myc, and Mekkl, signalrecognition particle 72 kD (SRP72), Caspase-8, Bid, B lymphoid tyrosinekinase (BLK), gene product similar to Pyruvate kinase, M2 isozyme (LOC148283), glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha (GSK3A), hypothetical proteinFLJ32312 (FLJ32312), mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK1 0),TCF4: transcription factor 4, v-abl Abelson murine leukemia viraloncogene homolog 2 (arg, Abelson-related gene) (ABL2), v-ros avian UR2sarcoma virus oncogene homolog 1 (ROS 1) and v-myc avianmyelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog., as well as antagonists orinhibitors of the following: 26S Proteasome inhibitors, c-flip, NFκBpathway, IAP family members (e.g., XIAP, cIAP1, cIAP2, NAIP,MLIAP/Livin, survivin), proteasome pathway members (e.g., E1, E2 andE3); kinases PI3, Akt1, 2, and 3, Rip, Nik; CD40; Bcl2 family members(e.g., Bcl2, Bcl-x1, A1, Mcl1), ubiquitin conjugase UbcH 10,osteoprotegrin, plexin B1 (PLXNB1), SET domain-containing protein 7(SET7), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5 (MAP3K5),STE20-like kinase (JIK), MAP kinase-interacting serine/threonine kinase1 (MKNK1), putative endoplasmic reticulum multispan transmembraneprotein (RFT1), 5-kinase, type I, gamma (PIP5K1C), mitogen-activatedprotein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2), mitogen-activatedprotein kinase kinase 5 (MAP2K5), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6),activin A receptor type II-like 1 (ACVRL1), Gardner-Rasheed felinesarcoma viral (v-fgr) oncogene homolog (FGR), hypothetical proteinFLJ21802 (FLJ21802), muscle, skeletal, receptor tyrosine kinase (MUSK),chromosome 20 open reading frame 88 (C20orf88), budding uninhibited bybenzimidazoles 1 (yeast homolog) (BUB1), ribosomal protein S6 kinase, 90kD, polypeptide 5 (RPS6KA5), v-yes-1 Yamaguchi sarcoma viral relatedoncogene homolog (LYN), mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7), andv-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 (AKT1), PAK1 (including,e.g., any of the following P21 (CDKN1A)-activated kinase 1, PAKA,P65-PAK, P68-PAK, alpha-PAK, MUK2, PAK1B (p21 activated kinase 1B),P21/Cdc42/Rac1-activated kinase 1 (yeast Ste20-related), Cdc42/Raceffector kinase PAK-A, protein kinase MUK2), nsurf, stk12 (including,e.g., serine/threonine kinase 12, aurora-related kinase 2,aurora/IPL1-like kinase 2, AIK2, ARK2, AIM-1, and AIM1), apoptosissignal-regulating kinase 1 (Ask1), TLK1 (e.g., accession no.NM_(—)012290), NLK (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)016231), GRAF (e.g.,accession no. NM_(—)015071), GCK (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)000162),ERK5 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)002749), FGR (e.g., accession no.NM_(—)005248), ACVRL1 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)000020), MEKK5 (e.g.,accession no. NM_(—)002757), PIP5K1C (e.g., accession no. XM_(—)047620),MAPKAPK2 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)004759), RFT1 (e.g., accession no.NM_(—)052859), MKNK1 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)003684), PLXNBI (e.g.,accession no. NM_(—)002673). Additional exemplary apoptosis-inducingagents include, e.g., agents that enhance DR5 and DR4 expression and/orstability, agents that enhance caspase activity or stability, and agentsthat induce or enhance a DNA damage response. Agonist or mimetics in theabove list include the gene products themselves, e.g., p53 is a p53agonist. Antagonists include agents that directly inhibit activity andagents that indirectly inhibit activity through decreasing expression orstability of target molecule mRNA (e.g., siRNAs) or protein.

An agent that “prevents or reduces the expression” of a protein refersto compounds that, e.g., bind to, partially or totally blockstimulation, decrease, prevent, delay expression. Expression of aprotein can be reduced by at least, e.g., 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90%,95% or 100%.

“Activation of NFκB” refers to induction of nuclear localization ofNFκB, DNA binding by NFκB or transcription resulting from DNA binding byNFκB.

“Prevents degradation of IκB” refers to degradation of IκB by theproteasome, thereby releasing NFκB to enter the cell nucleus.

A “proteasome inhibitor” refers to an agent that inhibits theproteasome-ubiquitin pathway, thereby preventing degradation of IκB andsubsequent nuclear localization of IkB's partner, NFκB. The proteasomeincludes, e.g., the 26S proteasome complex.

An “Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) protein” refers to a polypeptide of theprotein family that inhibits caspase activity. All but one of the knownIAP proteins share a twofold or threefold repeat of a characteristicsequence motif, the Baculovirus Inhibitory Repeat (BIR;˜70 residues;survivin is a recently discovered human IAP that contains one BIRregion). This BIR region contains a number of conserved residues, withthe consensus sequence: R-X(20-23)-G-X(11)-C-X(2)-C-X(16)-H-X(6)-C (SEQID NO: 1). Exemplary IAPs include, e.g., X chromosome linked inhibitorof apoptosis (XIAP; Genbank accession number U32974), the cellular IAPproteins (c-IAP-1/HIAP-2/hMIHB and c-IAP-2/HIAP-1/hMIHC; Liston et al.,Nature 379:349-353 (1996); Rothe et al., Cell 83:1243-1252 (1995)); theneuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP; Roy et al., Cell 80:167-178(1995)); and survivin (Ambrosini et al., Nature Med. 3:917-921 (1997)).See, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2002/0132786 and 2002/0009757 aswell as U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,557.

“SMAC” refers to a mitochondrial polypeptide, which is released togetherwith cytochrome c from the mitochondria in response to apoptoticstimuli. SMAC promotes caspase activation by binding and neutralizingthe IAPs. See, e.g., Du et al., Cell 102:33-42 (2000); Verhagen et al.,Cell 102:43-53 (2000).

“Modulators” are used herein to refer to molecules that inhibit orenhance the activity of expression a gene product. “Antagonists” or“inhibitors” are compounds that, e.g., inhibit expression of a geneproduct or bind to, partially or totally block stimulation, decrease,prevent, delay activation, inactivate, desensitize, or down regulate theactivity of the gene product or that bind or down regulate a receptor towhich the gene product binds. “Agonists” or “activators” are compoundsthat, e.g., induce or activate the expression of a gene product or bindto, stimulate, increase, open, activate, facilitate, enhance activation,sensitize or up regulate the activity of the gene product or that bindor up regulate a receptor to which the gene product binds. Agonists orantagonists can include, e.g., antibodies, organic small molecules(e.g., less than 1500 Daltons), genetically modified versions of thegene products themselves, etc. Antagonists include, e.g., siRNAmolecules for reducing expression of a transcript encoding a geneproduct.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 displays TRAIL induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells.

FIG. 2 displays specificity of DR5 functional antibodies.

FIG. 3 displays the effect of three different DR5 antibody agonists onJurkat cells.

FIG. 4 illustrates Caspase-3 activity in treated Jurkat cells.

FIG. 5 illustrates the effect of DR4/DR5 functional antibodies on colonand melanoma cancer cell lines.

FIG. 6 illustrates the effect of DR4/DR5 functional antibodies on breastcancer cell lines.

FIG. 7 illustrates the dose response to DR5 antibody agonists in normaland tumor cells.

FIG. 8 illustrates DR5 antibody agonist “A” with respect to Caspase-3activation.

FIG. 9 illustrates DR5 antibody agonist effects on Colo 205 tumorvolume.

FIG. 10 illustrates anti-DR5 dose response in a COLO205 subcutaneousmodel.

FIG. 11 illustrates the tumorcidal activity of DR5 monoclonal antibodiesin vivo.

FIG. 12 illustrates pathways for Caspase activation and apoptosis.

FIG. 13 illustrates anti-DR4 or anti-DR5-induced apoptosis in A2058cells in the presence of a SMAC mimetic.

FIG. 14 illustrates the effect of the SMAC mimetic on normal and tumorcells.

FIG. 15 illustrates a Pk and PD study of the SMAC mimetic.

FIG. 16 illustrates the NFκB pathway and its relation to the proteasome.

FIG. 17 illustrates that the proteasome inhibitor MG132 enhances DR5antibody-induced apoptosis.

FIG. 18 illustrates various proteasome inhibitors.

FIG. 19 illustrates the effect of proteasome inhibitors on A2058.

FIG. 20 illustrates the effect of proteasome inhibitors on ahepatocarcinoma cell line.

FIG. 21 illustrates the effect of proteasome inhibitors on normalmammary cells.

FIG. 22 illustrates the expression of mouse-human chimeric DR5antibodies.

FIG. 23 illustrates the nucleotide sequences for the heavy (SEQ ID NO:3)and light (SEQ ID NO:2) variable regions of Antibody A.

FIG. 24 illustrates the heavy chain variable region for Antibody A (SEQID NO:4).

FIG. 25 illustrates the light chain variable region for Antibody A (SEQID NO:5).

FIG. 26 illustrates a screening methodology for identifying geneproducts that mediate TRAIL-induced apoptosis by introducing siRNAs toknockout specific gene expression in a cell-based assay. TTds(N)19TT=SEQID NO:6.

FIG. 27 also illustrates a screening methodology for identifying geneproducts that mediate TRAIL-induced apoptosis by introducing siRNAs toknockout specific gene expression in a cell-based assay.

FIG. 28 provides a list of hits identified in the above-described siRNAscreen. “Ratio” refers to the ratio of viable cells (i.e.,non-apoptotic) following addition of TRAIL compared to the absence ofTRAIL. Low ratios (lower than 50) indicate that the gene productsinterfere with apoptosis. Higher ratios (greater than 50) indicate geneproducts that contribute to apoptosis.

FIG. 29 illustrates siRNA data for Gsk3α and Gsk3β. The top of thefigure illustrates that the siRNAs are specific for Gsk3α or Gsk3β. Thebar chart the bottom of the figure illustrates Caspase activityfollowing introduction of an siRNA in the presence or absence of TRAIL.

FIG. 30 illustrates a regulatory network for TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Ofparticular note, myc is pro-apoptotic. Therefore, inhibition of mycinhibits TRAIL-induced apoptosis and activation of myc synergisticallyactivated TRAIL or anti-DR4 or anti-DR5-induced apoptosis.

FIG. 31 shows additive effects of siUbcH10 to classic cytotoxicanticancer agents in killing tumor cells. The figure also shows thatpre-treatment of tumor cells with siUbcH10 significantly increased theapoptosis induced by anti-DR5 antibodies.

FIG. 32 shows down-regulating UbcH10 with siUbcH10 sensitizes tumorcells to TRAIL/DR5-mediated cell killing.

FIG. 33 illustrates sensitization of HCT116 cells or Bax- thereof toTRAIL ligand combined with the 26S proteasome inhibitors MG-132, MG-262,or Lactacystin (LC).

FIG. 34 illustrates the effect the proteasome inhibitor MG-262 on theexpression of various mitochondrial apoptosis pathway proteins.

FIG. 35 illustrates an alternate sequences for the heavy chain (SEQ IDNOS:7 and 8) and light chain (SEQ ID NOS:9 and 10) variable region forAntibody A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

I. Introduction

The present invention demonstrates the surprising result that anti-DR4or anti-DR5 antibody agonists administered with an apoptosis-inducingagent induces apoptosis in cancer cells in a synergistic fashion. Thuscancer cells that are resistant to treatment by one of these componentsalone will likely be killed when contacted by an anti-DR4 or anti-DR5agonist antibody and a second apoptosis-inducing agent. In addition, ofthose cells that would go through apoptosis upon contact with one of theabove-listed components, contact with anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 agonistantibody and an apoptosis-inducing protein will lead to a fasterinduction of apoptosis.

The present invention also provides high potency DR5 agonist antibodiesand their use to induce apoptosis in cancer cells.

II. Anti-DR4 or DR5 Antibodies

1. Introduction

Any anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibody agonist can be used according to themethods of the invention. DR4 (also referred to as Death Receptor 4) andDR5 (also referred to as Death Receptor 5) are two receptors of theligand TRAIL. See, e.g., Pan et al., Science 277:815-8 (1997); Sheridan,et al., Science 277:818-21 3 (1997); Walczak et al, EMBO J. 16:5386-97 4(1997). Anti-DR5 antibodies have been described previously in, e.g., PCTWO 01/83560 (antibody TRA-8; ATCC PTA-1428) and PCT WO 02/079377. Inaddition, anti-DR5 antibody agonists are described herein. The variableregions of the heavy and light chains of an exemplary anti-DR5 antibodyagonist are provided in FIGS. 23-25. In some embodiments, the anti-DR5antibodies compete with the exemplified antibody for binding to DR5. Insome embodiments, the DR5 antibody agonists have CDRs that aresubstantially similar to the CDRs exemplified in FIGS. 24, 25 or both.

Any type of antibody agonist may be used according to the methods of theinvention. Generally, the antibodies used are monoclonal antibodies.Monoclonal antibodies can be generated by any method known in the art(e.g., using hybridomas, recombinant expression and/or phage display).

The antibodies of the invention need not be cross-linked or otherwisetreated prior to administration. However, in some embodiments, theantibodies of the invention are cross-linked. Cross-linking (e.g., usinghetero- or homo-bifunctional chemical cross-linkers) is well known inthe art. Alternatively, stable multivalent Fabs (e.g., trimers ortetramers, etc.) can be administered. See, e.g., PCT WO 99/27964.

Exemplary anti-DR5 antibodies include those with the specificity of anantibody comprising the light and heavy chain variable region sequencesdisplayed in FIGS. 24 and 25. In some embodiments, the antibody isAntibody A (ATCC Deposit No.______).

In numerous embodiments, the anti-DR5 antibodies of the invention do notbind to other polypeptides. In some embodiments, the ant-DR5 antibodiesdo not bind any other receptor in the TNF receptor family (e.g., TNFR2,TNFR3, OX40, CD40, FAS, DcR3, CD27, CD30, CD137, DR4, DcR1, DcR2, RANK,OPG, DR3, TR2, NGFR, TNFR1, and TAC1). In some embodiments, the ant-DR5antibodies do not bind to DR4, DTR1, DTR2 or OPG.

The anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibodies of the invention can be extremelypotent. For example, in some embodiments, in a standard subcutaneoustumor ablation assay, the antibodies of the invention can reduce tumorsize by 50% at a concentration of 1 or less mg/kg body weight (and insome embodiments, 0.50 mg/kg, 0.05 mg/kg, or 0.01 mg/kg or less) whenadministered to an animal 3 times a week for two weeks and ablatestumors completely when ten times that amount is used.

In some cases, the anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibodies of the invention aredesigned to lack or have a reduced antibody-dependent cellularcytotoxicity (ADCC). For example, in some embodiments, the antibodies ofthe invention comprise an IgG-1, IgG-2, IgG-2A, IgG 3 or IgG-4 Fcregion.

A number of different synthetic molecular scaffolds can be used todisplay the variable light and heavy chain sequences displayed in FIGS.24 and 25. A publication describing use of the fibronectin type IIIdomain (FN3) as a specific molecular scaffold on which to displaypeptides including CDRS is Koide, A. et al. J. Mol. Biol284:1141-1151(1988). Other scaffolding alternatives include, e.g.,“minibodies” (Pessi, A. et al., Nature 362:367-369 (1993)), tendamistat(McConnell, S. J. and Hoess, R. H. J. Mol. Biol. 250:460-470 (1995)),and “camelized” VH domain (Davies J. and Riechmann, L. BiolTechnology13:475-479 (1995)). Other scaffolds that are not based on theimmunoglobulin like folded structure are reviewed in Nygren, P. A. andUhlen, M. Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 7:463-469 (1997). U.S. Pat. No.6,153,380 describes additional scaffolds. The term “affinity agents”encompasses molecules comprising synthetic molecular scaffolds such asthose described above to display binding domains with a bindingspecificity for DR4 or DR5, including the specificities described forantibodies described herein.

2. Humanized Antibodies

In some embodiments, the antibody used according to the presentinvention is a chimeric (e.g., mouse/human) antibody made up of regionsfrom a non-human anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibody agonist together withregions of human antibodies. For example, a chimeric H chain cancomprise the antigen binding region of the heavy chain variable region(e.g., the sequence displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35) of the non-humanantibody linked to at least a portion of a human heavy chain constantregion. This humanized or chimeric heavy chain may be combined with achimeric L chain that comprises the antigen binding region of the lightchain variable region (e.g., the sequence displayed in FIG. 25 or FIG.35) of the non-human antibody linked to at least a portion of the humanlight chain constant region. In some embodiments, the heavy chainconstant region can be an IgM or IgA antibody.

The chimeric antibodies of the invention may be monovalent, divalent, orpolyvalent immunoglobulins. For example, a monovalent chimeric antibodyis a dimer (HL) formed by a chimeric H chain associated throughdisulfide bridges with a chimeric L chain, as noted above. A divalentchimeric antibody is a tetramer (H₂ L₂) formed by two HL dimersassociated through at least one disulfide bridge. A polyvalent chimericantibody is based on an aggregation of chains.

The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the variable region of anexemplary anti-DR5 antibody agonist are provided in FIGS. 22-24. The DNAsequences of the antibodies of the invention can be identified,isolated, cloned, and transferred to a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cellfor expression by procedures well-known in the art. Such procedures aregenerally described in Sambrook et al., supra, as well as CURRENTPROTOCOLS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (Ausubel et al., eds., 1989). Expressionvectors and host cells suitable for expression of recombinant antibodiesand humanized antibodies in particular, are well known in the art. Thefollowing references are representative of methods and vectors suitablefor expression of recombinant immunoglobulins which may be utilized incarrying out the present invention: Weidle et al., Gene, 51: 21-29(1987); Dorai et al., J. Immunol., 13(12):4232-4241 (1987); De Waele etal., Eur. J. Biochem., 176:287-295 (1988); Colcher et al., Cancer Res.,49:1738-1745 (1989); Wood et al., J. Immunol., 145(a):3011-3016 (1990);Bulens et al., Eur. J. Biochem., 195:235-242 (1991); Beggington et al.,Biol. Technology, 10: 169 (1992); King et al., Biochem. J., 281:317-323(1992); Page et al., Biol. Technology, 2:64 (1991); King et al.,Biochem. J., 290:723-729 (1993); Chaudary et al., Nature, 339:394-397(1989); Jones et al., Nature, 321:522-525 (1986); Morrison and Oi, Adv.Immunol., 44:65-92 (1988); Benhar et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,91:12051-12055 (1994); Singer et al., J. Immunol., 150:2844-2857 (1993);Cooto et al., Hybridoma, 13(3):215-219 (1994); Queen et al., Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci. USA, 86:10029-10033 (1989); Caron et al., Cancer Res.,32:6761-6767 (1992); Cotoma et al., J. Immunol. Meth., 152:89-109(1992). Moreover, vectors suitable for expression of recombinantantibodies are commercially available.

Host cells capable of expressing functional immunoglobulins include,e.g., mammalian cells such as Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells; COScells; myeloma cells, such as NSO and SP2/O cells; bacteria such asEscherichia coli; yeast cells such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae; andother host cells.

3. Single Chain Antibodies

In some embodiments, the antibodies of the invention are single chainantibodies. Examples of techniques which can be used to producesingle-chain Fvs and antibodies include those described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 4,946,778 and 5,258,498; Huston et al., Methods in Enzymology203:46-88 (1991); Shu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:7995-7999(1993); and Skerra etal., Science 240:1038-1040 (1988).

4. Human Antibodies

In some embodiments, human antibodies are used according to the presentinvention. Human antibodies can be made by a variety of methods known inthe art including by using phage display methods using antibodylibraries derived from human immunoglobulin sequences. See, e.g.,Lonberg and Huszar, Int. Rev. Immunol. 13:65-93 (1995), U.S. Pat. Nos.4,444,887 and 4,716,111; and PCT publications WO 98/46645, WO 98/50433,WO 98/24893, WO 98/16654, WO 96/34096, WO 96/33735, and WO 91/10741;each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the antibodies of the present invention aregenerated using phage display. For example, functional antibody domainsare displayed on the surface of phage particles that carry thepolynucleotide sequences encoding them. Such phage can be utilized todisplay antigen-binding domains expressed from a repertoire orcombinatorial antibody library (e.g., human or murine). Phage expressingan antigen binding domain that binds DR4 or DR5 can be selected oridentified with DR4 or DR5, e.g., using labeled DR4 or DR5. Phage usedin these methods are typically filamentous phage including fd and M13binding domains expressed from phage with Fab, Fv or disulfidestabilized Fv antibody domains recombinantly fused to either the phagegene III or gene VIII protein. Examples of phage display methods thatcan be used to make the antibodies of the present invention includethose disclosed in Brinkman et al., J. Immunol. Methods 182:41-50(1995); Ames et al., J. Immunol. Methods 184:177-186 (1995);Kettleborough et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 24:952-958 (1994); Persic et al.,Gene 187:9-18 (1997); Burton et al., Advances in Immunology 57:191-280(1994); PCT application No. PCT/GB91/01134; PCT publications WO90/02809; WO 91/10737; WO 92/01047; WO 92/18619; WO 93/11236; WO95/15982; WO 95/20401; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,698,426; 5,223,409;5,403,484; 5,580,717; 5,427,908; 5,750,753; 5,821,047; 5,571,698;5,427,908; 5,516,637; 5,780,225; 5,658,727; 5,733,743 and 5,969,108;each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

5. Generating Agonist Antibodies

Agonist antibodies can be identified by generating anti-DR4 or anti-DR5antibodies and then testing each antibody for the ability trigger DR4 orDR5 mediated events, e.g., inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell. Avariety of assays known in the art can be used to detect induction ofapoptosis.

In one assay, DOHH-2 or Jurkat cells are contacted with a candidateantibody agonist and then monitored for viability as a function ofantibody concentration. Reduced cell viability (e.g., caused byincreased apoptosis) with increased antibody concentration indicatesthat the antibody is an agonist. Cell viability can be assayed by addingAlamar blue, which fluoresces in the presence of living, but not dead,cells. As described in the Examples, agonist antibodies can beidentified by screening hybridomas raised against DR4 or DR5 and thenscreening the hybridoma supernatant for the ability to induce apoptosisin DOHH-2 or Jurkat cells. Appropriate positive and negative controlscan be used to confirm the results. For example, a cell line that doesnot go through DR4 or DR5-mediated TRAIL induced apoptosis should not gothrough apoptosis in response to a candidate anti-DR4 or anti-DR5agonist.

III. Apoptosis-Inducing Agents

The present invention provides for the synergistic effect of anti-DR4 oranti-DR5 affinity agent agonists with a second apoptosis-inducing agent.Apoptosis-inducing agents include any agent that induces apoptosis incells. In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent preferentiallyinduces apoptosis in cancer cells compared to non-cancer cells.Typically the apoptosis-inducing agents are agonists or activators ofapoptosis or antagonists of inhibitors of apoptosis.

Exemplary apoptosis-inducing agents include, e.g., agonists or mimeticsof the following: SMAC, Bax, Bik, Bok, Bim, Bak, Bid, Noxa, Puma, Hrk,or Bad; BH3, p53, TRAIL ligand, Fadd, Myc, and Mekk1, signal recognitionparticle 72 kD (SRP72), Caspase-8, Bid, B lymphoid tyrosine kinase(BLK), gene product similar to Pyruvate kinase, M2 isozyme (LOC148283),glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha (GSK3A), hypothetical protein FLJ32312(FLJ32312), mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10), TCF4:transcription factor 4, v-abl Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogenehomolog 2 (arg, Abelson-related gene) (ABL2), v-ros avian UR2 sarcomavirus oncogene homolog 1 (ROS 1) and v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viraloncogene homolog., as well as antagonists or inhibitors of thefollowing: 26S Proteasome inhibitors, c-flip, NFκB pathway, IAP familymembers (e.g., XIAP, cIAP1, cIAP2, NAIP, MLIAP/Livin, survivin),proteasome pathway members (e.g., E1, E2 and E3); kinases PI3, Akt1, 2,and 3, Rip, Nik; CD40; Bcl2 family members (e.g., Bcl2, Bcl-x1, A1,Mcl1), ubiquitin conjugase UbcH10 (polynucleotide sequences encodingvariants of human UbcH10 include, e.g., accession nos. NM_(—)181803,NM_(—)181802, NM_(—)181801, NM_(—)181800, NM_(—)181799, NM_(—)007019,and BC050736), osteoprotegrin, plexin B1 (PLXNB 1), SETdomain-containing protein 7 (SET7), mitogen-activated protein kinasekinase kinase 5 (MAP3K5), STE20-like kinase (JIK), MAPkinase-interacting serine/threonine kinase 1 (MKNK1), putativeendoplasmic reticulum multispan transmembrane protein (RFT1), 5-kinase,type I, gamma (PIP5K1C), mitogen-activated protein kinase-activatedprotein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5(MAP2K5), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), activin A receptor typeII-like 1 (ACVRL1), Gardner-Rasheed feline sarcoma viral (v-fgr)oncogene homolog (FGR), hypothetical protein FLJ21802 (FLJ21802),muscle, skeletal, receptor tyrosine kinase (MUSK), chromosome 20 openreading frame 88 (C20orf88), budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles1(yeast homolog) (BUB 1), ribosomal protein S6 kinase, 90 kD,polypeptide 5 (RPS6KA5), v-yes-1 Yamaguchi sarcoma viral relatedoncogene homolog (LYN), mitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7), andv-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 (AKT1), PAK1 (including,e.g., any of the following P21(CDKN1A)-activated kinase 1, PAKA,P65-PAK, P68-PAK, alpha-PAK, MUK2, PAK1B (p21 activated kinase 1B),P21/Cdc42/Rac1-activated kinase 1 (yeast Ste20-related), Cdc42/Raceffector kinase PAK-A, protein kinase MUK2), nsurf, stk12 (including,e.g., serine/threonine kinase 12, aurora-related kinase 2,aurora/IPL1-like kinase 2, AIK2, ARK2, AIM-1, and AIM1), apoptosissignal-regulating kinase 1 (Ask1), TLK1 (e.g., accession no.NM_(—)012290), NLK (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)016231), GRAF (e.g.,accession no. NM_(—)015071), GCK (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)000162),ERK5 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)002749), FGR (e.g., accession no.NM_(—)005248), ACVRL1 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)000020), MEKK5 (e.g.,accession no. NM_(—)002757), PIP5K1C (e.g., accession no. XM_(—)047620),MAPKAPK2 (e.g., accession no. NM_(—)004759), RFT1 (e.g., accession no.NM_(—)052859), MKNK1(e.g., accession no. NM_(—)003684), PLXNB 1 (e.g.,accession no. NM_(—)002673). Additional exemplary apoptosis-inducingagents include, e.g., agents that enhance DR5 and DR4 expression and/orstability, agents that enhance caspase activity or stability, and agentsthat induce or enhance a DNA damage response. Agonist or mimetics in theabove list include the gene products themselves (e.g., p53 is a p53agonist), as well as agonist antibodies. Antagonists include agents thatdirectly inhibit activity (e.g., antagonist antibodies) and agents thatindirectly inhibit activity through decreasing expression or stabilityof target molecule mRNA (e.g., siRNAs) or protein.

Apoptosis-inducing agents that can be identified by targeting these geneproducts include compounds of various chemical natures. For example,modulators of these gene products can be screened with libraries ofpolypeptides, beta-turn mimetics, polysaccharides, phospholipids,hormones, prostaglandins, steroids, aromatic compounds, heterocycliccompounds, benzodiazepines, oligomeric N-substituted glycines,oligocarbamates, polypeptides, saccharides, fatty acids, steroids,purines, pyrimidines, derivatives, structural analogs or combinationsthereof.

In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent is a polynucleotide.For example, it can be an siRNA targeting a gene that inhibitsTRAIL-induced apoptosis (e.g., UbcH10 or molecules listed in the firstportion of FIG. 27). In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agentis a small molecule compound (e.g., a molecule with a molecular weightof less than 1500 Daltons and in some cases, less than 1000 Daltons).For example, the apoptosis-inducing agent can be a small moleculecompound that inhibits expression or activity of a gene product thatinhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis (e.g., UbcH10 or molecules listed in thefirst portion of FIG. 27). The apoptosis-inducing agent can also be asmall molecule compound that enhanced expression or activity of a geneproduct that promote TRAIL-induced apoptosis (e.g., UbcH 10 or moleculeslisted in the bottom portion of FIG. 27). Methods for screeningmodulators (including small molecule modulators) of a gene and itsencoded polypeptide, and methods for preparing siRNA or other inhibitorypolynucleotides of a known gene are all well known in the art. See,e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,573,099 and 6,506,559; Principles and Practice ofHigh Throughput Screening, K. Murray (Ed.), CRC Press (2003); HighThroughput Screening: Methods and Protocols, W. Janzen (Ed.), HumanaPress (2002); PCT publications WO 95/35503, WO 95/30642, and WO91/18980; Schultz et al, Bioorg Med Chem Lett 8:2409-2414, 1998; andWeller et al., Mol Divers. 3:61-70, 1997. Additional methods that can beemployed for screening modulators of these genes and their products aredisclosed in, e.g., Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A LaboratoryManual, Cold Spring Harbor Press, N.Y., 3^(rd) Ed. (2000); and Ausubelet al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,New York (1999).

In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent is conjugated to theanti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibody agonist. In other embodiments, theapoptosis-inducing agent is not conjugated to the anti-DR4 or anti-DR5antibody agonist.

In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent is not TNF-alpha,TNF-beta, AIM I, AIM II, Fas Ligand, or VEGI.

1. SMAC

In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent is SMAC/Diablo or aSMAC mimetic or agonist. SMAC/Diablo promotes caspase activity bybinding Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs). See, e.g., Du et al.,Cell 102:33-42 (2000); Verhagen et al., Cell 102:43-53, 2000; U.S.Patent Application No. 2002/0110851. Administration or expression ofSMAC in cells is encompassed by the present invention. SMAC fragments,such as the N-terminal peptides of SMAC (e.g., the N-termninal tetra orheptapeptides (Guo et al., Blood 99(9):3419-3426 (2002); Srinivasula etal., J. Biol. Chem. 275:36152-36157 (2000)), can also be expressed oradministered. See, also, U.S. Patent Application 2002/0132786.

In addition, SMAC mimetic compounds can also be used according to thepresent invention. These compounds can have useful pharmaceuticalproperties and as such can be more efficient for administration withanti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibodies. Exemplary SMAC mimetics include, e.g.,peptides comprising a tetrapeptide that binds the surface groove withinthe BIR domain of an IAP, including tetrapeptides of the formulaX₁X₂X₃X4, wherein X₁ is A, X₂ is V, T, or I, X₃ is P or A and X4 is F,Y, I or V or other SMAC peptides, agonists or peptidiomimetics describedin PCT WO 02/26775. Other exemplary SMAC mimetics include LBP672. See,e.g., FIG. 15 and Example 54.

2. 26S Proteasome Inhibitors

In some embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent is a 26S Proteasomeinhibitor. Proteasome inhibitors are agents that inhibit theproteasome-ubiquitin pathway, thereby preventing degradation of IκB andsubsequent nuclear localization of IκB's partner, NFκB. The proteasomehas two functional components: the 20S core catalytic subunit and the19S regulatory subunit. The 20S and 19S subunits form a 26S complex thatdegrades proteins targeted for degradation with the addition ofubiquitin. Exemplary proteasome inhibitors include, e.g., PS-341 (NSCno. 681239, also known as bortezomib) and analogs thereof (see, e.g.,Adams, Cur. Opin. Chem Biol. 6:493-500 (2002)). PS-341 and otherproteasome inhibitors useful according to the methods of the presentinvention are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,454, incorporated hereinby reference.

Additional exemplary proteasome inhibitors include, e.g., lactacystin,PS-273 (NSC no. 681226); PS-293 (NSC no. 681227); PS-296 (NSC no.681228); PS-303 (NSC no. 681229); PS-305 (NSC no. 681231); PS-313 (NSCno. 681234); PS-321 (NSC no. 681236); PS-334 (NSC no. 681237); PS-364(NSC no. 681242); PS-325 (NSC no. 683086); PS-352 (NSC no. 683094);PS-383 (NSC no. 683098), YU101 (ac-hFLFL-epoxide) (see, e.g., Elofsson,et al., Chem. Biol. 6:811-822 (1999)), MG262, MG132, MG115, PSI(proteasome inhibitorN-benzyloxycarbonyl-Ile-Glu(O-tert-butyl)-Ala-leucinal). Assays foridentifying proteasome inhibitors are commercially available from, e.g.,Discoverx (Fremont, Calif.).

While combination of 26S proteasome inhibitors with DR4 or DR5 agonists(e.g., anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 antibodies of the present invention) can bean effective therapy for a wide range of hyperproliferative disorders,the combination can be particularly effective against cancer cells withdefects in Bax or other components of the mitochondrial apoptosispathway (e.g., Bcl-x1 or Bcl-2). For example, colon cancer patientsfrequently have tumor cells that are Bax defective. Therefore,proteasome inhibitor combined with a DR4 or DR-5 antagonist isparticularly effective to treat colon cancers involving Bax or othermitochondrial apoptosis defects.

In some embodiments, the proteasome inhibitor is a compound of formula I

wherein

R₁ is unsubstituted or substituted aryl; arylalkylcarbonyl, wherein thearyl moiety is unsubstituted or substituted; unsubstituted orsubstituted heterocyclyl; or heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl, wherein theheterocyclyl moiety is unsubstituted or substituted;

R₂ is unsubstituted or substituted aryl or unsubstituted or substitutedheteroaryl;

R₃ is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted aryl or alkyl which isunsubstituted or substituted by unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl,unsubstituted or substituted aryl, or unsubstituted or substitutedheteroaryl comprising at least one nitrogen atom;

R₄ is a moiety of the formula IA,

wherein A₁ and A₂ are hydroxy or substituted hydroxy, or together withthe binding boron atom and the two binding oxygen atoms form a ring ofthe formula IA*,

wherein W is alkylene, substituted alkylene, unsubstituted orsubstituted cycloalkylene, unsubstituted or substituted bicycloalkyleneor unsubstituted or substituted tricycloalkylene;

and R₅ is unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, unsubstituted orsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted or substituted heterocyclyl, orunsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl; or salts thereof.

Within the context of formula I, the general terms used have thefollowing meanings:

Aryl preferably has a ring system of not more than 20 carbon atoms,especially not more than 12 carbon atoms, is preferably mono-, bi- ortric-cyclic, and is unsubstituted or substituted, preferably in eachcase unsubstituted or substituted phenyl or (especially 1- or2-)naphthyl, one or more substituents preferably being independentlyselected from the group consisting of an aliphatic radical; free,etherified or esterified hydroxy; free or esterified carboxy; formyl;alkanoyl; unsubstituted, mono- or di-substituted amino; mercapto; sulfo;alkyl-thio; carbamoyl; N-alkyl-carbamoyl; N,N-di-alkyl-carbamoyl;phenyl; naphthyl; heterocyclyl, especially pyridyl; cyano and nitro,more preferably being selected from alkyl, e.g. methyl, ethyl or propyl;alkoxy, e.g. methoxy or ethoxy; di-substituted amino, e.g.dimethylamino; halogen, e.g. chloro or bromo; halogen-alkyl, e.g.trifluoromethyl; and phenyl, (especially 1- or 2-)-naphthyl, andheterocyclyl, especially as defined below, especially pyridyl, e.g. 3-,4- or especially 2-pyridyl, each of which is unsubstituted orsubstituted with one or more, especially up to three, substituents,especially independently selected from the other aryl substitutents justmentioned. Aryl R₁ is more preferably biphenylyl, especially 2-, 4- orpreferably 3-biphenylyl, pyridylphenyl, especially 4-, 3- or mostespecially 2-pyridyl-(2-, 4- or preferably 3-)phenyl, or loweralkyl-phenyl, especially propyl-phenyl, such as 2-, 4- or especially3-isopropylphenyl. Arylalkylcarbonyl R₁ (with unsubstituted orpreferably substituted aryl) is preferably aryl-lower alkylcarbonyl witharyl as defined above, more preferably phenyl-loweralkyloxy-phenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl, especially 2-, 4- or preferably3-benzyloxy-phenyl-acetyl or -propionyl, pyridyl-loweralkyloxyphenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl, especially 2-, 4- or preferably3-(pyridin-2-, -4- or preferably -3-)-acetyl or -propionyl, orphenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl, especially phenyl-2- or preferably3-phenyl-propionyl or phenylacetyl, wherein phenyl is unsubstituted orsubstituted by up to three substitutents independently selected fromlower alkoxy, especially methoxy, halogen, especially fluoro or chloro,or halogen-lower alkyl, such as trifluoromethyl. Unsubstituted orsubstituted aryl R₂ or (independently) R₃ is preferably mono-, di- ortrisubstituted phenyl, especially substituted by up to four substituentsindependently selected from the substitutents mentioned for aryl,especially from hydroxy, lower alkoxy (most preferred), preferablymethoxy, halogen, preferably fluoro or chloro, and halogen-lower alkyl,preferably trifluoromethyl, especially phenyl substituted by up to threelower alkoxy, preferably methoxy, substituents, or in case of R₃unsubstituted phenyl, or further unsubstituted or substituted napthyl,especially 1- or 2-naphthyl that is unsubstituted or substituted by upto four substituents independently selected from the substitutentsmentioned for aryl, especially from hydroxy, lower alkoxy (mostpreferred), preferably methoxy, halogen, preferably fluoro or chloro,and halogen-lower alkyl, preferably trifluoromethyl.

Unsubstituted heterocyclyl is preferably a heterocyclic radical that isunsaturated, saturated or partially saturated in the bonding ring and ispreferably monocyclic or in a broader sense bicyclic or tricyclic ring;has 3 to 24, more preferably 4 to 16 ring atoms; wherein at least in thering bonding to the radical of the molecule of formula I one or more,preferably one to four, especially one or two carbon atoms of acorresponding aryl radical are substituted by a heteroatom selected fromthe group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, the bonding ringpreferably having 4 to 12, especially 5 to 7 ring atoms; heteroarylbeing unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, especially 1 to 3,substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of thesubstituents defined above as substituents of substituted aryl; andespecially being a heteroaryl radical selected from the group consistingof imidazolyl, thienyl, furyl, tetrahydrofuryl, pyranyl, thianthrenyl,isobenzofuranyl, benzofuranyl, chromenyl, 2H-pyrrolyl, pyrrolyl,pyrrolinyl, pyrrolidinyl, imidazolyl, imidazolidinyl, benzimidazolyl,pyrazolyl, pyrazolidinyl, pyranyol, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, oxazolyl,isoxazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, piperidyl, piperazinyl,pyridazinyl, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, indolizinyl, isoindolyl,3H-indolyl, indolyl, indazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, purinyl,4H-quinolizinyl, isoquinolyl, quinolyl, tetrahydroquinolyl,tetrahydroisoqionolyl, decahydroquinolyl, octahydroisoquinolyl,benzofuranyl, benzothiophenyl, phthalazinyl, naphthyridinyl, quinoxalyl,quinazolinyl, quinazolinyl, cinnolinyl, pteridinyl, carbazolyl,β-carbolinyl, phenanthridinyl, acridinyl, perimidinyl, phenanthrolinyl,furazanyl, phenazinyl, phenothiazinyl, phenoxazinyl, isochromanyl andchromanyl, each of these radicals being unsubstituted or substituted byone to two radicals selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl,especially methyl or tert-butyl, lower alkoxy, especially methoxy, andhalo, especially bromo or chloro; pyridyl, especially 2- or 3-pyridyl,or indolyl is especially preferred, in a broader aspect loweralkyl-pyridyl, pyrimidinyl or lower alkylpyrimidinyl, halo-loweralkylpyridyl, lower alkoxy-pyridyl, di-lower alkyl-pyridyl, orhalo-pyridyl. Heterocyclyl is unsubstituted or substituted by one ormore, preferably up to three, substitutents independently selected fromthose mentioned above for aryl (where heterocyclyl as substituent ofheterocyclyl carries no further heterocyclyl substituent other thanpyridyl or indolyl) and from aryl as defined above, especially phenyl,especially those mentioned as being preferred. Unsubstitutedheterocyclyl is preferred.

In heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl R₁, the heterocyclyl moiety is preferablysubstituted or especially unsubstituted heterocyclyl as mentioned above;preferred is substituted or preferably unsubstituted heterocyclyl-loweralkyl, especially with terminal substituted or preferably unsubstitutedheterocyclyl, with heterocyclyl as described above; preferred ispyridyl-lower alkylcarbonyl, such as -acetyl or -propionyl.

As R₁, unsubstituted or substituted aryl or substituted aryl-loweralkylcarbonyl is preferred.

Heteroaryl R₂ is preferably unsubstituted or substituted heteroaryl asmentioned above, especially indolyl that is unsubstituted or substitutedby one or more, especially up to three, substitutents independentlyselected from those mentioned above for substituted aryl, especiallyfrom hydroxy, lower alkoxy (most preferred), preferably methoxy,halogen, preferably fluoro or chloro, and halogen-lower alkyl,preferably trifluoromethyl.

R₂ is preferably substituted aryl.

An aliphatic radical preferably has up to 12 carbon atoms, preferably upto 7 carbon atoms, most preferably up to 4 carbon atoms, and is analiphatic hydrocarbon radical, such as an unsubstituted or substitutedalkynyl, alkenyl or preferably alkyl radical, more preferably loweralkyl, especially methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl,sec-butyl, iso-butyl or tert-butyl.

Alkyl, which may be branched or linear, preferably has up to 12 carbonatoms, and is more preferably lower alkyl. Alkyl R₃ is preferably loweralkyl, especially isobutyl.

The prefix “lower” denotes a radical having up to and including 7,preferably up to and including 4, carbon atoms.

Lower alkyl is, preferably, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl,sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, n-hexyl orn-heptyl, preferably isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, isopropyl, ethylor methyl, most preferably isopropyl, ethyl or methyl.

Etherified hydroxy is, for example, alkoxy, especially lower alkoxy,such as ethoxy or methoxy, aryloxy, especially phenyloxy, aryl-loweralkoxy, especially phenyl-lower alkoxy, heterocyclyloxy, especiallypyridyloxy, or heterocyclyl-lower alkoxy, especially pyridyl-loweralkoxy (aryl and heterocyclyl preferably have the meanings given above).

Esterified hydroxy is preferably hydroxy esterified by an organiccarboxylic acid, such as an alkanoic acid, for example loweralkanoyloxy.

Esterified carboxy is, for example, alkoxycarbonyl, especially loweralkoxycarbonyl, such as e.g. methoxycarbonyl.

Mono- or di-substituted amino is, preferably, N-alkylamino orN,N-dialkylamino, especially N-lower alkylamino or lower N,N-di-loweralkylamino, such as N-methylamino or N,N-dimethylamino.

Halogen is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, preferably fluorine,chlorine or bromine.

Unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl preferably has up to 12, morepreferably 3 to 8 ring carbonyl atoms and is substituted by one or more,especially up to three, substitutents independently selected from thosementioned for substituted aryl, or preferably unsubstituted. Preferredis cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl.

In alkyl R₃ substituted with unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl,alkyl is preferably as defined above, more preferably lower alkyl,especially isopropyl, and is (preferably terminally) substituted bycycloalkyl as defined above.

In alkyl R₃ substituted with unsubstituted or substituted aryl, alkyl ispreferably as defined in the last paragraph, and aryl is defined asabove and is substituted by one or more, especially up to three,substitutents independently selected from those mentioned forsubstituted aryl, or unsubstituted; especially aryl is phenylsubstituted by one or more, especially up to three, substitutentsindependently selected from halogen, especially fluoro, hydroxy or loweralkoxy, especially methoxy, or it is unsubstituted phenyl.

In alkyl R₃ substituted with unsubstituted or substituted heterocyclyl,alkyl is preferably as defined for alkyl R₃ substituted with cycloalkyl,and heterocyclyl is defined as above and is substituted by one or more,especially up to three, substitutents independently selected from thosementioned for substituted heterocyclyl, or unsubstituted.

If A₁ and A₂ each are substituted hydroxy, then substituted hydroxy ispreferably alkyloxy, especially lower alkyloxy, aryloxy, especially withunsubstituted or substituted aryl as defined above, or cycloalkyloxywith unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl as defined above.

If A₁ and A₂ together with the binding boron atom and oxygen atoms forma ring or the formula IA* shown above, then W preferably carries the twooxygen atoms bound to the boron atom on two different carbon atoms thatare spatially nearby or neighbouring carbon atoms, especially in vicinal(“1,2-”) or in “1,3”-position (relatively to each other).

Alkylene is preferably an unbranched C₂-C₁₂—, preferably C₂-C₇alkylenemoiety, e.g. ethylene, or propylene, in a broader aspect butylene,pentylene or hexylene, bound via two different carbon atoms as justdescribed, preferably vicinal or in “1,3”-position. One or more,especially one, of the carbon atoms not bound to the oxygen atomsbinding to the boron atom may be replaced by a heteroatom selected fromO, S or preferably N (carrying the required number of H atoms,respectively), for example in 1,5-(3-aza-pentylene).

Substituted alkylene is preferably an unbranched lower alkylene moietyas defined above which is subsituted or unsubstituted by one or more,especially up to three, substituents preferably independently selectedfrom lower alkyl, such as methyl or ethyl, e.g. in 1-methylethylene,1,2-dimethylethylene, hydroxy, e.g. in 2-hydroxy-propylene, orhydroxy-lower alkyl, such as hydroxymethyl, e.g. in1-hydroxymethyl-ethylene.

Unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkylene is preferably C₃-C₁₂—, morepreferably C₃-C₈-cycloalkylene bound via two different carbon atoms asdescribed for W, preferably vicinal or in “1,3”-position, such ascyclohexylene or cyclopentylene, in which one or more, especially one,of the carbon atoms not bound to the oxygen atoms binding to the boronatom may be replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S or N (carryingthe required number of H atoms, respectively), for example intetrahydrofurylene or tetrahydropyranylene, and may be unsubstituted orsubstituted by one or more, especially up to three substituentsindependently selected from lower alkyl, such as methyl or ethyl,hydroxy, hydroxy-lower alkyl, such as methoxy, or mono- oroligosaccharidyl bound via an oxyygen atom (“oligosaccharidyl”preferably comprising up to five saccaridyl moieties).

Unsubstituted or substituted Bicycloalkylene is preferablyC₅-C₁₂-bicycloalkylene bound via two different carbon atoms as describedfor W, preferably vicinal or in “1,3”-position, in which one or more,especially one, of the carbon atoms not bound to the oxygen atomsbinding to the boron atom may be replaced by a heteroatom selected fromO, S or N (carrying the required number of H atoms, respectively), andmay be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, especially up tothree substituents independently selected from lower alkyl, such asmethyl or ethyl, hydroxy and hydroxy-lower alkyl, such as methoxy.Preferred is pinanylene (2,3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane)).

Unsubstituted or substituted tricycloalkylene is preferablyC₈-C₁₂-tricycloalkylene bound via two different carbon atoms asdescribed for W, preferably vicinal or in “1,3”-position, in which oneor more, especially one, of the carbon atoms not bound to the oxygenatoms binding to the boron atom may be replaced by a heteroatom selectedfrom O, S or N (carrying the required number of H atoms, respectively),and may be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, especially up tothree substituents independently selected from lower alkyl, such asmethyl or ethyl, hydroxy and hydroxy-lower alkyl, such as methoxy.

Most preferably, R₄ is —B(OH)₂ or2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl,especially (1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl.

In unsubstituted or substituted alkyl R₅, alkyl, which may be branchedor linear, preferably has up to 12 carbon atoms, and is more preferablylower alkyl. Alkyl R₅ is preferably lower alkyl, especially isopropyl.Substituents, of which one or more, especially up to two, may bepresent, are independently selected from unsubstituted or substitutedaryl (especially phenyl or hydroxyphenyl), unsubsituted or substitutedheterocyclyl (especially imidazolyl or indolyl), unsubstituted orsubstituted cycloalkyl, each as defined above; hydroxy (preferred),carboxy (preferred), carbamoyl, mercapto, lower alkylthio, e.g.methylthio, phenyl, hydroxyphenyl, indolyl, imidazolyl, amino, tri-loweralkylamino, e.g. trimethylamino, lower alkanoylamino, e.g. acetylamino,guanidino, N-lower alkylguanidino, e.g. N-methylguanidino, or any othersubstituent completing an amino acid comprising R₅. Preferably, R₅ maybe methyl, isopropyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, mercaptomethyl,2-methylthio-ethyl, phenylmethyl, hydroxyphenylmethyl, indol-3-ylmethyl,hydroxymethyl, 1-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, carbamoylmethyl,2-carbamoylethyl, 4-aminobutyl, 3-guanidinopropyl, 5-imidazolylmethyl,carboxymethyl or 2-carboxyethyl.

Asymmetric carbon atoms of a compound of formula I that are present mayexist in the (R), (S) or (R,S) configuration, preferably in the (R) or(S) configuration, most preferably in the configuration indicated informula I* below. Substituents at a double bond or a ring may be presentin cis-(=Z-) or trans (=E-) form. The compounds may thus be present asmixtures of isomers or preferably as pure isomers.

Salt-forming groups in a compound of formula I are groups or radicalshaving basic or acidic properties. Compounds having at least one basicgroup or at least one basic radical, for example amino, a secondaryamino group not forming a peptide bond or a pyridyl radical, may formacid addition salts, for example with inorganic acids, such ashydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or a phosphoric acid, or with suitableorganic carboxylic or sulfonic acids, for example aliphatic mono- ordi-carboxylic acids, such as trifluoroacetic acid, acetic acid,propionic acid, glycolic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid,hydroxymaleic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid or oxalicacid, or amino acids such as arginine or lysine, aromatic carboxylicacids, such as benzoic acid, 2-phenoxy-benzoic acid, 2-acetoxy-benzoicacid, salicylic acid, 4-aminosalicylic acid, aromatic-aliphaticcarboxylic acids, such as mandelic acid or cinnamic acid, heteroaromaticcarboxylic acids, such as nicotinic acid or isonicotinic acid, aliphaticsulfonic acids, such as methane-, ethane- or 2-hydroxyethanesulfonicacid, or aromatic sulfonic acids, for example benzene-, p-toluene- ornaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid. When several basic groups are present mono-or poly-acid addition salts may be formed.

Compounds of formula I having acidic groups, for example a free boronicacid group (—B(OH)₂, that is, in formula IA* A₁ and A₂ each are hydroxy)or a carboxy group, may form metal or ammonium salts, such as alkalimetal or alkaline earth metal salts, for example sodium, potassium,magnesium or calcium salts, or ammonium salts with ammonia or suitableorganic amines, such as tertiary monoamines, for example triethylamineor tri-(2-hydroxyethyl)-amine, or heterocyclic bases, for exampleN-ethyl-piperidine or N,N′-dimethylpiperazine. Mixtures of salts arepossible.

Compounds of formula I having both acidic and basic groups can forminternal salts.

Exemplary compounds of formula I include those wherein

R₁ is either substituted aryl-lower alkylcarbonyl or unsubstituted orsubstituted aryl,

R₂ is substituted aryl or unsubstituted or substituted heterocyclyl,

R₃ is lower alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryl or lower alkylwhich is substituted by unsubstituted or substituted aryl,

R₄ is a moiety of the formula IA given above wherein A₁ and A₂ arehydroxy, lower alkyloxy, aryloxy with unsubstituted or substituted arylor cycloalkyloxy with unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl, orwherein A₁ and A₂, together with the binding boron atom and the twobinding oxygen atoms form a ring of the formula IA* given above whereinW is unsubstituted or substituted lower alkylene bound via two differentcarbon atoms that are spatially nearby or vicinal, especially in vicinalor, relatively to each other, in “1,3”-position, and

R₅ is lower alkyl, or salts thereof.

Exemplary compounds of formula I include those wherein

R₁ is phenyloxyphenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl; phenyl-loweralkoxyphenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl; pyridyloxyphenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl;phenyl-lower alkylcarbonyl substituted by lower alkoxy, especiallymethoxy, halogen, especially fluoro or chloro, or halogen-lower alkyl,especially trifluoromethyl; or preferably unsubstituted or substitutedphenyl or naphthyl, wherein in both cases the substituents if presentare independently one or more, especially one to three, substituentsselected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, hydroxy, loweralkoxy, lower alkanoyloxy, carboxy, lower alkoxycarbonyl, formyl, loweralkanoyl, amino, N-lower alkylamino, N,N-di-lower alkylamino, mercapto,sulfo, lower alkyl-thio, carbamoyl, N-lower alkyl-carbamoyl;N,N-di-lower alkyl-carbamoyl, phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl, cyano andnitro, more preferably lower alkoxy alkoxy, especially methoxy orethoxy;

R₂ is phenyl substituted by one or more, especially one to three,moieties independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxy,lower alkoxy, especially methoxy, halogen, especially fluoro or chloro,and halogen-lower alkyl, especially trifluoromethyl;

R₃ is lower alkyl, especially isobutyl, phenyl or phenyl substituted byone or more, especially up to three substituents independently selectedfrom the group consisting of hydroxy, lower alkoxy, especially methoxy,halogen, especially fluoro or chloro, and halogen-lower alkyl,especially trifluoromethyl;

R₄ is —B(OH)₂ (especially preferred) or2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl,especially (1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl;and

R₅ is lower alkyl, especially isopropyl;

or salts thereof.

Exemplary compounds of formula I include those wherein

R₁ is phenyloxyphenylacetyl, benzyloxyphenylacetyl,pyridyloxyphenylacetyl, biphenylyl, pyridylphenyl, lower alkylphenyl orsubstituted phenylpropionyloxy wherein the phenyl substituents are up tothree substituents independently selected from the group consisting ofmethoxy, fluoro, chloro and trifluoromethyl;

R₂ is phenyl substituted with up to three methoxy substituents,especially 2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl;

R₃ is isobutyl or phenyl that is unsubstituted or substituted with up tothree moieties independently selected from hydroxy, fluoro and methoxy;

R₄ is(1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-ylor especially —B(OH)₂; and

R₅ is isopropyl; or salts thereof.

Exemplary compounds of formula I include those wherein

R₁ is biphenylyl, lower alkyl-phenyl, phenyl-lower alkyl-carbonyl,phenoxy-phenyl-lower alkyl-carbonyl, phenyl-lower alkoxy-phenyl-loweralkyl-carbonyl or pyridyl-phenyl; R₂ is either phenyl substituted by 1to 3 lower alkoxy radicals or phenyl-lower alkoxy-phenyl;

R₃ is lower alkyl or phenyl-lower alkyl;

R₄ is 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-[1,3,2]dioxaborolan-2-yl,(1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-ylor —B(OH)₂; and

R₅ is lower alkyl; or salts thereof.

Other exemplary compounds of formula I or salts thereof, include thosewherein the stereochemistry is as depicted in formula I*

wherein the shown configuration represents the absolute configurationand wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ have the meanings as defined for acompound of formula I, especially those meanings described hereinaboveas being preferred.

Other exemplary compounds of formula I or salts thereof, include thosewherein the stereochemistry is as depicted in formula I**

wherein the shown configuration represents the absolute configurationand wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R4 and R₅ have the meanings as defined for acompound of formula I, especially those meanings described hereinaboveas being preferred.

Other exemplary compounds of formula I or salts thereof, includemixtures of diastereomers, wherein the stereochemistry is as depicted informula I***

wherein the shown configuration represents the absolute configurationand wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ have the meanings as defined for acompound of formula I, especially those meanings described hereinaboveas being preferred.

Most especially preferred are the compounds of formula I described inthe Examples, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

The compounds of formula I or salts thereof are prepared in accordancewith processes known. The processes preferably comprise

a) reacting a dipeptide analogue of the formula II,

wherein R₃, R₄ and R₅ have the meanings given under formula I, with anamino acid of the formula III,

or a reactive derivative thereof, wherein R₁ and R₂ have the meaningsgiven under formula I, functional groups present in a compound offormula II and/or III, with the exception of the groups participating inthe reaction, being protected if necessary by readily removableprotecting groups, and any protecting groups present are removed, or

b) for the production of a compound of the formula I wherein R₁ isarylalkylcarbonyl or heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl and the other moieties R₂to R₅ have the meanings given under formula I, reacting an aminocompound of the formula IV,

wherein R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ have the meanings given under formula I, witha carbonic acid of the formula V,

or a reactive derivative thereof, wherein R₁ is arylalkylcarbonyl orheterocyclylalkylcarbonyl,

functional groups present in a compound of formula IV and/or V, with theexception of the groups participating in the reaction, being protectedif necessary by readily removable protecting groups, and any protectinggroups present are removed,

and, if desired, converting a compound of formula I obtained by processa) or b) into another compound of formula I, converting an obtained freecompound of formula I into a salt, converting an obtained salt of acompound of formula I into a different salt or into its free form,and/or separating a mixture of isomeric compounds of formula I into theindividual isomers.

The different possible stereoisomers of compounds of formula I can beprepared by using educts with the appropriate configuration. Forexample, compounds of formula I* or salts thereof can be prepared by

a) reacting a dipeptide analogue of the formula II*,

wherein R₃, R₄ and R₅ have the meanings given under formula I, with anamino acid of the formula III*,

or a reactive derivative thereof, wherein R₁ and R₂ have the meaningsgiven under formula I,

functional groups present in a compound of formula II* and/or III*, withthe exception of the groups participating in the reaction, beingprotected if necessary by readily removable protecting groups, and anyprotecting groups present are removed, or

b) for the production of a compound of the formula I* wherein R₁ isarylalkylcarbonyl or heterocyclylalkylcarbonyl and the other moieties R₂to R₅ have the meanings given under formula I, reacting an aminocompound of the formula IV*,

wherein R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ have the meanings given under formula I, witha carbonic acid of the formula V,

or a reactive derivative thereof, wherein R₁ is arylalkylcarbonyl orheterocyclylalkylcarbonyl, functional groups present in a compound offormula IV* and/or V, with the exception of the groups participating inthe reaction, being protected if necessary by readily removableprotecting groups, and any protecting groups present are removed, and,if desired, converting a compound of formula I* obtained by process a)or b) into another compound of formula I*, converting an obtained freecompound of formula I* into a salt, or converting an obtained salt of acompound of formula I* into a different salt or into its free form.

The end products of formula I may contain substituents that can also beused as protecting groups in starting materials for the preparation ofother end products of formula I, e.g. in the case of R₄other than—B(OH)₂. Thus, within the scope of this text, only a readily removablegroup that is not a constituent of the particular desired end product offormula I is designated a “protecting group”, unless the contextindicates otherwise.

The protection of functional groups by such protecting groups, theprotecting groups themselves, and their cleavage reactions are describedfor example in standard reference works, such as J. F. W. McOmie,“Protective Groups in Organic Chemistry”, Plenum Press, London and NewYork 1973, in T. W. Greene and P. G. M. Wuts, “Protective Groups inOrganic Synthesis”, Third edition, Wiley, New York 1999, in “ThePeptides”; Volume 3 (editors: E. Gross and J. Meienhofer), AcademicPress, London and New York 1981, in “Methoden der organischen Chemie”(Methods of Organic Chemistry), Houben Weyl, 4th edition, Volume 15/I,Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 1974, in H.-D. Jakubke and H. Jescheit,“Aminosäuren, Peptide, Proteine” (Amino acids, Peptides, Proteins),Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, Deerfield Beach, and Basel 1982, and in JochenLehmann, “Chemie der Kohlenhydrate: Monosaccharide und Derivate”(Chemistry of Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides and Derivatives), GeorgThieme Verlag, Stuttgart 1974.

A characteristic of protecting groups is that they can be removedreadily (i.e. without the occurrence of undesired secondary reactions)for example by solvolysis, reduction, photolysis or alternatively underphysiological conditions (e.g. by enzymatic cleavage).

Removal of a protecting group for the —B(OH)₂-group (in order to obtaina compound of the formula I wherein R₄ is —B(OH)₂) preferably takesplace with an acid, e.g. hydrogen chloride, in an appropriate solvent,e.g. a lower alkanol, such as methanol, or a lower alkane, such ashexane, or a mixture thereof, at temperatures of 0 to 50° C., e.g. atroom temperature.

At least two processes can be used to synthesize the proteasomeinhibitors of formula I. In process “a”, the reaction is carried out bydissolving the compounds of formulae II and III in a suitable solvent,for example N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide,N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, methylene chloride, or a mixture of two or moresuch solvents, and by the addition of a suitable base, for exampletriethylamine, diisopropylethylamine (DIEA) or N-methylmorpholine and asuitable coupling agent that forms a preferred reactive derivative ofthe carbonic acid of formula III in situ, for exampledicyclohexylcarbodiimide/1-hydroxybenzotriazole (DCC/HOBT); O-(1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-1-pyridyl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluroniumtetrafluoroborate (TPTU);O-benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate(TBTU); or 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride(EDC). For review of other possible coupling agents, see e.g. Klauser;Bodansky, Synthesis 1972, 453-463. The reaction mixture is preferablystirred at a temperature of between approximately −20 and 50° C.,especially between 0° C. and room temperature, to yield a compound offormula I. The reaction is preferably carried out under an inert gas,e.g. nitrogen or argon.

In process “b”, the reaction is preferably carried out under conditionsanalogous to those described for process a).

Salts of a compound of formula I with a salt-forming group may beprepared in a manner known per se. Acid addition salts of compounds offormula I may thus be obtained by treatment with an acid or with asuitable anion exchange reagent.

Salts can usually be converted to free compounds, e.g. by treating withsuitable basic agents, for example with alkali metal carbonates,hydrogencarbonates, or hydroxides, typically potassium carbonate orsodium hydroxide.

Stereoisomeric mixtures, e.g. mixtures of diastereomers, can beseparated into their corresponding isomers in a manner known per se bymeans of suitable separation methods. Diastereomeric mixtures forexample may be separated into their individual diastereomers by means offractionated crystallization, chromatography, solvent distribution, andsimilar procedures. This separation may take place either at the levelof one of the starting compounds or in a compound of formula I itself.Enantiomers may be separated through the formation of diastereomericsalts, for example by salt formation with an enantiomer-pure chiralacid, or by means of chromatography, for example by HPLC, usingchromatographic substrates with chiral ligands.

Compounds of the formula I wherein R₄ is other than —B(OH)₂ can beconverted into compounds of the formula I wherein R₄ is —B(OH)₂according to standard procedures, e.g. using isobutyl-boronic acid(i-BuB(OH)₂ in the presence of an acid, especially hydrohalic acid in awater/methanol/hexane mixture, at temperatures preferably ranging from 0to 50° C., e.g. at room temperature.

In both process a) and b), for the conversion or for the synthesis ofthe intermediates or starting material, the solvents from which thosecan be selected which are suitable for the reaction in question includefor example water, esters, typically lower alkyl-lower alkanoate, e.g.,diethyl acetate, ethers, typically aliphatic ethers, e.g. diethylether,or cyclic ethers, e.g. tetrahydrofuran, liquid aromatic hydrocarbons,typically benzene or toluene, alcohols, typically methanol, ethanol or1- or 2-propanol, nitriles, typically aceto-nitrile, halogenatedhydrocarbons, typically dichloromethane, acid amides, typicallydimethylformamide, bases, typically heterocyclic nitrogen bases, e.g.pyridine, carboxylic acids, typically lower alkanecarboxylic acids, e.g.acetic acid, carboxylic acid anhydrides, typically lower alkane acidanhydrides, e.g. acetic anhydride, cyclic, linear, or branchedhydrocarbons, typically cyclohexane, hexane, or isopentane, or mixturesof these solvents, e.g. aqueous solutions, unless otherwise stated inthe description of the process. Such solvent mixtures may also be usedin processing, for example through chromatography or distribution.

New starting materials and/or intermediates, as well as processes forthe preparation thereof, are likewise the subject of this invention. Inthe preferred embodiment, such starting materials are used and reactionconditions selected such as to allow the manufacture of the preferredcompounds.

The starting materials of formulae II-V or their precursors are known,can be prepared according to known processes, or are commerciallyobtainable; in particular, they can be prepared using processesidentical or in analogy to those described in the Examples.

A compound of formula II, wherein the substituents are as defined aboveunder formula I, is obtainable for example by the following reactions:

First, a boronic acid analogue of an amino acid of the formula VI

comprising for example the configuration as indicated in formula VI*

wherein R₃ has the meanings given above for compounds of formula I andR₄ has the meanings other than —B(OH)₂ mentioned above for compounds offormula I, especially is(1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl,or an acid addition salt thereof, especially the salt thereof withtrifluoroacetic acid, is condensed with an amino acid of the formula VII

comprising for example the configuration as indicated in formula VII*

or a reactive derivative thereof, wherein R₅ has the meanings givenabove for compounds of the formula I and Pr₁, is a protected aminogroup, preferably tert-butoxycarbonylamino, under reaction conditionsanalogous to those described for reaction a) above (also a condensationreaction, also preferably with in situ formation of active carbonic acidderivatives), thus yielding a compound of formula II in N-protected formwhich is then N-deprotected, e.g. using conditions described in thestandard textbooks mentioned above, in the case oftert-butoxycarbonylamino e.g. with hydrochloric acid in an appropriatesolvent, e.g. dioxane and/or methylene chloride giving a compound of theformula II that can be used directly in process a).

The boronic acids of the formula VI are known, commercially availableand/or can be synthesized according to known procedures. For example,compounds of the formula VI wherein R₃ is lower alkyl, especiallyisobutyl and R₄ is as described for compounds of the formula VI,preferably(1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl,can be prepared by reacting a compound of the formula VIII,

wherein R₄ has the meanings just described, in an appropriate solvent,e.g. methylene chloride, with n-lower alkyl lithium, especiallyn-butyllithium, and subsequently with zinc chloride, yielding a compoundof the formula IX,

wherein R₄ has the meanings given above under formula VI. This compoundis then reacted with LiN(SiCH₃)₂, and the resulting compound of theformula is then reacted in the presence of trifluoro acetic acid toyield the salt of the formula X,

wherein R₄ has the meanings given under formula VI, which is a compoundof the formula VI and can then be used directly for reaction with thecompound of formula VII as shown above.

A compound of the formula III is known, commercially available and/orcan be obtained according to standard procedures.

For example, a compound of the formula III wherein R₁ is aryl,especially biphenylyl, may be prepared by reacting a compound of theformula XI,

comprising for example the configuration as indicated in formula XI*

wherein R₂ has the meanings given for a compound of the formula I, whichis known, commercially available or obtainable according to standardprocedures, with a compound of the formula XII,R₁—X  (XII)

wherein R₁ is aryl and X is halogen, especially bromo, in an appropriatesolvent, e.g. in dimethylformamide, in the presence of a base,especially an alkali metal carbonate, e.g. potassium carbonate, attemperatures between 50 and 100° C., e.g. at 90° C., preferably underinert gas, e.g. nitrogen or argon. This directly yields thecorresponding compound of the formula III.

Amino acid derivatives of the formula VII are known, commerciallyavailable or obtainable according to standard procedures. They arepreferably used in the amino protected form, e.g. withtert-butoxycarbonylamino instead of the free amino group.

Compounds of the formula IV can be obtained e.g. by reacting a compoundof the formula II comprising for example the configuration as indicatedin formula II*, as defined in process a), with an N-protected amino acidof the formula XIII,

comprising for example the configuration as indicated in formula XIII*

or a reactive derivative thereof, wherein R₂ is as defined under formulaI and Pr₂ is protected amino, especially tert-butoxycarbonylamino, underpreferred condensation reaction conditions as described under process a)above. From the resulting compound, a compound of formula IV wherein theN-terminal amino group is present in protected form, then the N-terminalprotecting group is removed, e.g. in the case oftert-butoxycarbonylamino with hydrogen chloride in dioxane.

In other embodiments, the apoptosis-inducing agent is a proteasomeinhibitor from the 2,4-diamino-3-hyroxycarboxylic acid family ofcompounds. See, PCT WO 00/64863. For example, in some embodiments, theproteasome inhibitor is a 2,4-diamino-3-hydroxycarboxylic acids offormula XIV,

wherein

A and B independently represent a bond or an unsubstituted orsubstituted aminoacyl moiety;

R₁ represents hydrogen; an amino protecting group; or a group of formulaR₅Y-wherein

R₅ represents hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl,alkenyl, alkinyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl,heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group; and

Y represents —CO—; —NH—CO—; —NH—CS—; —SO₂—; —O—CO—; or —O—CS—;

R₂ represents the side chain of a natural amino acid; an alkyl,arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl or cycloalkylalkyl group; ortrimethylsilylmethyl, 2-thienylmethyl or styrylmethyl;

R₃ represents halogen, alkyl, alkoxy or hydroxyalkoxy; and

R₄ represents 2(R)-hydroxyindan-1(S)-yl; (S)-2-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl; or2-hydroxy-benzyl unsubstituted or substituted in 4 position by methoxy;wherein the 2,4-diamino-3-hydroxycarboxylic acid is in free form, is apharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or in a pharmaceuticalcomposition.

Unsubstituted or substituted alkyl preferably is alkyl of 1 to 5 carbonatoms, preferably of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; e.g. methyl, ethyl, isopropylor tert-butyl; it is especially of 1 or 4 carbon atoms. The substituentis e.g. phenoxy, hydroxy or unprotected or protected amino.

Unsubstituted or substituted arylalkyl is e.g. phenylalkyl of altogether7 to 10 carbon atoms, such as benzyl or 2-phenylethyl. It isunsubstituted or substituted in the aryl or alkyl moiety by e.g.hydroxy, such as in benzyl-CH(OH)— or phenyl —CH(CH₂OH)—, by alkyl,amino or alkylamino; or is e.g. naphthylalkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms inthe alkylene part, especially naphthylmethyl.

An amino protecting group preferably is benzyloxycarbonyl,cycloalkylalkoxycarbonyl, especially cyclohexylmethoxycarbonyl, ortert-butoxycarbonyl. Unsubstituted or substituted heteroarylalkylpreferably is pyrldylalkyl, especially 2-pyridylmethyl and4-pyddylmethyl.

Aryl, heteroaryl and the aryl parts of arylalkyl and heteroarylalkyl maybe mono- or polycyclic, such as e.g. pyridyl, naphthyl,9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (FMOC) or benz-imidazolyl. The alkylene partof arylalkyl or heteroarylalkyl may be substituted by e.g. hydroxy.

A heterocyclyl group, and the heterocyclyl part of a heterocyclylalkylgroup, is a saturated heterocyclic group having one or more heteroatomsselected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. It preferably has 5 or 6 ringconstitutent atoms, and preferably up to 3 heteroatoms.

Cycloalkylalkyl preferably is cyclohexylalkyl; it preferably is of 1 to4 carbon atoms in the alkylene part.

Halogen is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, preferably chlorine orbromine.

Alkyl and alkoxy preferably are of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, especially of 1or 2 carbon atoms, more especially methyl or methoxy.

Hydroxyalkoxy preferably is ω-hydroxyalkoxy of 2 to 4 carbon atoms,especially 2-hydroxyethoxy.

A salt is e.g. an acid addition salt such as a hydrochloride.

The compounds of formula I have several chiral centers and can thereforeexist in a variety of stereoisomers. The invention provides allstereoisomers as well as racemic mixtures unless specified otherwise.The isomers may be resolved or separated by conventional techniques,e.g. chromatographically. As appears from formula I the configuration atthe carbon atom in the 2 position is R, in the 3 and 4 positions it isS.

R₁ preferably is hydrogen, pyridylalkoxycarbonyl,naphthylalkoxycarbonyl, naphthylalkylcarbonyl, benzyl-CH(OH)-carbonyl,phenoxymethylcarbonyl, phenylalkylcarbonyl or an amino protecting groupsuch as tert.-butoxycarbonyl, cycloalkylalkoxycarbonyl, especiallycyclohexylmethoxycarbonyl, or benzyloxycarbonyl which is unsubstitutedor substituted by alkyl or amino; it especially isnaphthylmethoxycarbonyl, naphthylmethylcarbonyl, pyridylmethoxycarbonyl,phenylpropionyl, aminophenylpropionyl, tert.-butoxycarbonyl,aminobenzyfoxycarbonyl, alkylbenzyloxycarbonyl, dialkylbenzyloxycarbonylor benzyloxycarbonyl, even more preferably benzyloxycarbonyl.

When A is an unsubstituted or substituted aminoacyl moiety, itpreferably is an unsubstituted or substituted α-aminoacyl moiety such asalanine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, valine, tert-butylglycine,tert-leucine or histidine. It preferably is the protected or unprotectedmoiety of a natural α-amino acid, preferably of an amino acid which is anormal constitutive part of proteins, or tent leucine. It preferably hasthe L configuration. A is especially glycine, L-valine, L-tert-leucineor a bond, even more preferably L-tert-leucine.

R₂ preferably is the side chain of a natural amino acid, preferably ofan α-amino acid, preferably of an amino acid which is a normalconstitutive part of proteins. It is e.g. isopropyl,aminocarbonylmethyl, methyl, 1-methylpropyl, benzyl, 4-hydroxybenzyl orisobutyl, preferably benzyl.

When B is an unsubstituted or substituted aminoacyl moiety, itpreferably is an unsubstituted or substituted α-aminoacyl moiety, suchas phenylalanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, alanine or asparagine. Itpreferably is the unsubstituted or substituted moiety of a naturalα-amino acid, preferably of an amino acid which is a normal constitutivepart of proteins. α-Amino acids with a second carboxyl group, e.g.glutaminic acid, are preferably esterified with an C₁-C₃ alcohol,especially methanol. It preferably has the L-configuration. B especiallyis L-valine, L-glutaminic acid methyl ester or a bond, even morepreferably L-valine.

R₃ preferably is halogen, methyl or methoxy, especially methoxy.

R₄ preferably is 2(R)-hydroxyindan-1(S)-yl or 2-hydroxybenzylunsubstituted or substituted as defined above, especially2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzyl.

Y preferably is —CO—or —O—CO—, especially —O—CO—.

R₅ preferably is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, arylalkyl orheteroarylalkyl group, especially alkyl; when it is unsubstituted orsubstituted heteroarylalkyl it preferably is pyridylalkyl, especially2-pyddylmethyl; when it is unsubstituted or substituted arylalkyl itpreferably is benzyl-CH(OH)—; when it is substituted alkyl it preferablyis phenoxymethyl.

In some embodiments, the proteasome inhibitor is a2-amino-3-hydroxy-4tert-leucyl-amino-5-phenyl-pentanoic acid amidederivative. See, e.g., PCT 01/89282.

For example, in some embodiments, the proteasome inhibitors of theinvention relate to compounds of formula XV

wherein n is 0 or 1;

R₁ and R₂ are independently of the other an aliphatic radical, or anaromatic, aromatic-aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, cycloaliphatic-aliphatic,heterocyclic or heterocyclic-aliphatic radical, each radical having notmore than 20 carbon atoms;

R₃ is hydrogen, oxa-alkyl, an aliphatic radical or a radical with up to20 carbon atoms of the formula —(Y)_(m)—R₆, wherein Y is alkyl, m is 0or 1 and R₆ is an unsubstituted or substituted monocyclic radical with 5or 6 ring members containing up to 3 hetero atoms selected from thegroup consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, wherein said monocyclicradical can also be fused to a benzo ring;

R₄ and R₅ are independently selected from the group consisting ofhydrogen; an aliphatic radical; free, etherified or esterified hydroxy;free or esterified carboxy; formyl; alkanol; unsubstituted, mono-ordi-substituted amino; mercapto; sulfo; alkyl-thio; carbamoyl;N-alkyl-carbamoyl; N,N-di-alkyl-carbamoyl; cyano and nitro; whereincarbon containing radicals R₄ and R₅ have up to 12 carbon atoms, withthe proviso that R₄ and R₅ are not both hydrogen if n is 1, R₁ is benzylor tert-butyl, R₂ is benzyl or 4-methoxy-benzyl, R₃ is isopropyl and Xis oxygen and that R₄ is not methoxy if n is 0 or 1, R₂ is4-methoxy-benzyl, R₃ is hydrogen and X is oxygen; and

X is nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur;

or salts thereof.

Within the context of the2-amino-3-hydroxy-4-tert-leucyl-amino-5-phenyl-pentanoic acid amidederivatives, the general terms used hereinbefore and hereinafterpreferably have the following meanings: n is 0 or 1, preferably 0.

An aliphatic radical has up to 12 carbon atoms, preferably up to 7carbon atoms, most preferably up to 4 carbon atoms, and is such anunsubstituted or substituted aliphatic hydrocarbon radical, that is tosay such an unsubstituted or substituted alkynyl, alkenyl or preferablyalkyl radical, one or more substituents preferably being independentlyselected from the group consisting of free, etherified or esterifiedhydroxy; free or esterified carboxy; formyl; alkanol; unsubstituted,mono-or di-substituted amino; guanidino; mercapto; sulfo; alkyl-thio;carbamoyl; N-alkyl-carbamoyl; N, N-di-alkyl-carbamoyl; cyano and nitro.

An aliphatic radical R₁ is preferably lower alkyl, such as especiallytert-butyl.

An aliphatic radical R₃ is preferably unsubstituted lower alkyl or loweralkyl substituted by hydroxy, carboxy, amino, carbamoyl, guanidino,mercapto or alkyl-thio, most preferably a side chain of the amino acidsalanine, leucine, isoleucine, serine, threonine, cysteine, methionine,asparagine, glutamin, aspartate, glutamate, lysine or arginine,especially valine.

An aliphatic radical R₄ is preferably methoxy.

An aromatic radical R₁ or R₂ has not more than 20 carbon atoms,especially not more than 12 carbon atoms, and is unsubstituted orsubstituted, preferably in each case unsubstituted or substituted phenylor naphthyl, especially 1-naphthyl, one or more substituents preferablybeing independently selected from the group consisting of an aliphaticradical; free, etherified or esterified hydroxy; free or esterifiedcarboxy; formyl; alkanol; unsubstituted, mono-or di-substituted amino;mercapto; sulfo; alkyl-thio; carbamoyl; N-alkyl-carbamoyl; N,N-di-alkyl-carbamoyl; cyano and nitro, more preferably being selectedfrom alkyl, e. g. methyl, ethyl or propyl; alkoxy, e. g. methoxy orethoxy; di-substituted amino, e. g. dimethylamino; halogen, e. g. chloroor bromo; and halogen-alkyl, e. g. trifluoromethyl.

In an aromatic-aliphatic radical R₁ or R₂ having not more than 20 carbonatoms the aromatic moiety is as defined above and the aliphatic moietyis preferably lower alkyl, such as especially C₁-C₂ alkyl, which issubstituted preferably as defined for the aromatic radical or preferablyunsubstituted. An aromatic-aliphatic radical R₁ is preferably benzyl ornaphthalen-1-ylmethyl. An aromatic-aliphatic radical R₂ is preferablybenzyl substituted in the benzene moiety by 1-5, preferably by 1-3methoxy groups; benzyl substituted in the benzene moiety, preferably inposition 4, by a dimethyl-amino group; or naphthalen-1-ylmethyl. Mostpreferably an aromatic-aliphatic radical R2 is 2,3,4- or3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzyl.

A cycloaliphatic radical R₁ or R₂ has up to 20, especially up to 10carbon atoms, is mono-or poly-cyclic and is substituted preferably asdefined for the aromatic radical or preferably unsubstituted, forexample such a cycloalkyl radical, especially such a 5-or 6-memberedcycloalkyl radical, such as preferably cyclohexyl.

In a cycloaliphatic-aliphatic radical R₁ or R₂ having not more than 20carbon atoms the cycloaliphatic moiety is as defined above and thealiphatic moiety is preferably lower alkyl, such as especially C₁-C₂alkyl, which is substituted preferably as defined for the aromaticradical or preferably unsubstituted, for example cyclohexyl-methyl.

A heterocyclic radical R₁or R₂ contains up to 20 carbon atoms, generallyup to 12 carbon atoms, and is substituted preferably as defined for thearomatic radical or unsubstituted and is preferably a saturated orunsaturated monocyclic radical having 5 or 6 ring members and 1 to 3hetero atoms which are preferably selected from the group consisting ofnitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, for example, thienyl or pyridyl, or a bi-ortri-cyclic radical wherein, for example, a benzene radical is fused tothe mentioned monocyclic radical, especially, for example, indolyl, suchas 5-indolyl, or chinolyl, such as 8-chinolyl.

In a heterocyclic-aliphatic radical R₁ or R₂ having not more than 20carbon atoms the heterocyclic moiety is as defined above and thealiphatic moiety is preferably lower alkyl, such as especially C₁-C₂alkyl, which is substituted preferably as defined for the aromaticradical or preferably unsubstituted. A heterocyclic-aliphatic radical R₁or R₂ is for example indolyl-methyl, especially 5-indolyl-methyl, orchinolyl-methyl, especially 8-chinolyl-methyl.

Oxa-alkyl R₃ is a radical of the formula —G(O—CH₂—CH₂)_(t)—R₇, in whichG and R₇ are alkyl, preferably lower alkyl, and t is 1 to 3, preferably2, and is especially 2-(1,4-dioxa-hexyl)-ethyl.

In a radical of the formula —(Y)_(m)—R₆ having up to 20 carbon atoms, Yis alkyl, preferably lower alkyl, m is 0 or 1 and the radical R₆ is asaturated or unsaturated monocyclic radical having 5 or 6 ring membersand up to 3 hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen,oxygen and sulfur and alternatively containing a fused benzo ring, sucha radical being substituted preferably as defined for the aromaticradical or preferably unsubstituted.

A radical R₆ is preferably bound to Y via a ring carbon atom and is forexample an unsubstituted or substituted member selected from the groupconsisting of cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cyclopentadienyl, phenyl,pyrrolidyl, pyrazolidyl, imidazolidyl, tetrahydrofuryl, piperidyl,piperazinyl, morpholinyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, furyl,thienyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, indenyl,naphthyl, indolyl and chinolyl.

Most preferably a radical of the formula —(Y)_(m)—R₆ is piperidyl,especially 4-piperidyl, piperazin-ethyl, especially piperazin-1-ylethyl,morpholinyl-ethyl, especially morpholin-4-ylethyl, pyridyl-methyl, suchas 2-, 3-or 4-pyridyl-methyl, or a side chain of the amino acidsphenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophane or histidine.

X is preferably oxygen (—O—).

Alkyl is preferably lower alkyl.

The prefix “lower” denotes a radical having up to and including 7,preferably up to and including 4, carbon atoms.

Lower alkyl is, for example, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl,sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n- pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, n-hexyl orn-heptyl, preferably isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, isopropyl, ethylor methyl, most preferably isobutyl, ethyl or methyl.

Etherified hydroxy is, for example, alkoxy, especially lower alkoxy,such as ethoxy or methoxy. Esterified hydroxy is preferably hydroxyesterified by an organic carboxylic acid, such as alkanoic acid, or amineral acid, such as a hydrohalic acid, for example lower alkanoyloxyor especially halogen, such as iodine or especially fluorine, chlorineor bromine.

Esterified carboxy is, for example, alkoxycarbonyl, especially loweralkoxycarbonyl, such as e. g. methoxycarbonyl.

Alkanol is, for example, alkylcarbonyl, especially lower alkylcarbonyl,such as e. g. acetyl.

Mono-or di-substituted amino is, for example, N-alkylamino or N,N-dialkylamino, especially N-lower alkylamino or lower N,N-di-loweralkylamino, such as e. g. N-methylamino or N,N-dimethylamino.

Halogen is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, preferably fluorine,chlorine or bromine.

The structure of Formula XV as shown above indicates the absoluteconfiguration.

Salt-forming groups in a compound of Formula XV are groups or radicalshaving basic or acidic properties. Compounds having at least one basicgroup or at least one basic radical, for example a free amino group, apyrazinyl radical or a pyridyl radical, may form acid addition salts,for example with inorganic acids, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuricacid or a phosphoric acid, or with suitable organic carboxylic orsulfonic acids, for example aliphatic mono-or di-carboxylic acids, suchas trifluoroacetic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid,succinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, hydroxymaleic acid, malicacid, tartaric acid, citric acid or oxalic acid, or amino acids such asarginine or lysine, aromatic carboxylic acids, such as benzoic acid,2-phenoxy-benzoic acid, 2-acetoxy-benzoic acid, salicylic acid,4-aminosalicylic acid, aromatic-aliphatic carboxylic acids, such asmandelic acid or cinnamic acid, heteroaromatic carboxylic acids, such asnicotinic acid or isonicotinic acid, aliphatic sulfonic acids, such asmethane-, ethane- or 2-hydroxyethane-sulfonic acid, or aromatic sulfonicacids, for example benzene-, p-toluene-or naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid.When several basic groups are present mono-or poly-acid addition saltsmay be formed.

Compounds of Formula XV having acidic groups, for example a free carboxygroup in the radical Rio, may form metal or ammonium salts, such asalkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts, for example sodium,potassium, magnesium or calcium salts, or ammonium salts with ammonia orsuitable organic amines, such as tertiary monoamines, for exampletriethyl- amine or tri-(2-hydroxyethyl)-amine, or heterocyclic bases,for example N-ethyl-piperidine or N,N′-dimethyl-piperazine.

Compounds of Formula XV having both acidic and basic groups can forminternal salts.

For the purposes of isolation or purification, as well as in the case ofcompounds that are used further as intermediates, it is also possible touse pharmaceutically unacceptable salts.

Only pharmaceutically acceptable, non-toxic salts are used fortherapeutic purposes, however, and those salts are therefore preferred.

Owing to the close relationship between the novel compounds in free formand in the form of their salts, including those salts that can be usedas intermediates, for example in the purification of the novel compoundsor for the identification thereof, hereinbefore and hereinafter anyreference to the free compounds should be understood as including thecorresponding salts, where appropriate and expedient.

VII. Administration and Pharmaceutical Compositions

The antibodies and agents of the invention can be administered directlyto the mammalian subject for treatment, e.g., of hyperproliferativedisorders including cancer such as, but not limited to: carcinomas,gliomas, mesotheliomas, melanomas, lymphomas, leukemias,adenocarcinomas, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer,glioblastoma, leukemia, lymphoma, prostate cancer, and Burkitt'slymphoma, head and neck cancer, colon cancer, colorectal cancer,non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, cancer of theesophagus, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, hepatobiliary cancer,cancer of the gallbladder, cancer of the small intestine, rectal cancer,kidney cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, penile cancer, urethralcancer, testicular cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, uterinecancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, parathyroid cancer, adrenalcancer, pancreatic endocrine cancer, carcinoid cancer, bone cancer, skincancer, retinoblastomas, multiple myelomas, Hodgkin's lymphoma, andnon-Hodgkin's lymphoma (see, CANCER:PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE (DeVita,V.T. et al. eds 1997) for additional cancers).

Administration of the compositions of the present invention is by any ofthe routes normally used for introducing a chemotherapeutic compoundinto ultimate contact with the tissue to be treated. The antibodies andagents are administered in any suitable manner, optionally withpharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Suitable methods of administeringsuch antibodies and agents are available and well known to those ofskill in the art, and, although more than one route can be used toadminister a particular composition, a particular route can oftenprovide a more immediate and more effective reaction than another route.

Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are determined in part by theparticular composition being administered, as well as by the particularmethod used to administer the composition. Accordingly, there is a widevariety of suitable formulations of pharmaceutical compositions of thepresent invention (see, e.g., Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 17thed. 1985)).

The antibodies and agents, alone or in combination with other suitablecomponents, can be made into aerosol formulations (i.e., they can be“nebulized”) to be administered via inhalation. Aerosol formulations canbe placed into pressurized acceptable propellants, such asdichlorodifluoromethane, propane, nitrogen, and the like.

Formulations suitable for administration include aqueous and non-aqueoussolutions, isotonic sterile solutions, which can contain antioxidants,buffers, bacteriostats, and solutes that render the formulationisotonic, and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions that caninclude suspending agents, solubilizers, thickening agents, stabilizers,and preservatives. In the practice of this invention, compositions canbe administered, for example, by orally, topically, intravenously,intraperitoneally, intravesically or intrathecally. Optionally, thecompositions are administered nasally. The formulations of compounds canbe presented in unit-dose or multi-dose sealed containers, such asampules and vials. Solutions and suspensions can be prepared fromsterile powders, granules, and tablets of the kind previously described.The modulators can also be administered as part a of prepared food ordrug. The compounds of the present invention can also be usedeffectively in combination with one or more additional active agents(e.g., chemotherapeutics) depending on the desired therapy or effect.

The dose administered to a patient, in the context of the presentinvention should be sufficient to effect a beneficial response in thesubject over time. The dose will be determined by the efficacy of theparticular modulators employed and the condition of the subject, as wellas the body weight or surface area of the area to be treated. The sizeof the dose also will be determined by the existence, nature, and extentof any adverse side-effects that accompany the administration of aparticular compound or vector in a particular subject. Administrationcan be accomplished via single or divided doses.

The antibody agonist and the apoptosis-inducing agent can beadministered together in a mixture or each can be administeredseparately. The antibody agent and the apoptosis inducing agent can, butneed not, be administered concurrently.

VIII. Inhibitors of Apoptosis

As described herein, a variety of gene products either inhibit (e.g.,molecules listed in the first portion of FIG. 27; and UbcH10) or promote(e.g., molecules listed in the bottom portion of FIG. 27) TRAIL-induced(and anti-DR4 or anti-DR5-induced) apoptosis. Those gene products thatinhibit TRAIL-induced apoptosis can be targeted with inhibitors tosynergistically increase apoptosis induced by TRAIL, anti-DR4 oranti-DR5 antibodies. Similarly, those gene products that promoteTRAIL-induced apoptosis can be targeted with activators tosynergistically increase apoptosis induced by TRAIL, anti-DR4 oranti-DR5 antibodies.

Alternatively, activators of gene products that inhibit TRAIL-inducedapoptosis can be used to reduce apoptosis where and when it isdetrimental. Similarly, inhibitors of those gene products that promoteTRAIL-induced apoptosis can also be used to reduce apoptosis where andwhen it is detrimental. One such disorder is thrombotic thrombocytopenicpurpura (TTP) (Kwaan, H. C., Semin. Hematol., 24:71 (1987); Thompson etaL, Blood, 80:1890, (1992)). Increasing TTP-associated mortality rateshave been reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (Torok etal., Am. J Hematol. 50:84, 1995).

Plasma from patients afflicted with TTP (including HIV⁺ and HIV⁻patients) induces apoptosis of human endothelial cells of dermalmicrovascular origin, but not large vessel origin (Laurence et aL,Blood, 87:3245 (1996)). Plasma of TTP patients thus is thought tocontain one or more factors that directly or indirectly induceapoptosis. As described in PCT application WO 97/01633 (herebyincorporated by reference), TRAIL is present in the serum of TTPpatients, and may play a role in inducing apoptosis of microvascularendothelial cells.

Another thrombotic microangiopathy is hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS)(Moake, J. L., Lancet, 343:393 (1994); Melnyk et al., Arch. Intern. Med.155:2077, (1995)). One embodiment of the invention is directed to treatthe condition that is often referred to as “adult HUS” (even though itcan strike children as well). A disorder known aschildhood/diarrhea-associated HUS differs in etiology from adult HUS.

Other conditions characterized by clotting of small blood vessels. Suchconditions include but are not limited to the following: Cardiacproblems seen in about 5-10% of pediatric AIDS patients are believed toinvolve clotting of small blood vessels. Breakdown of themicrovasculature in the heart has been reported in multiple sclerosispatients. As a further example, treatment of systemic lupuserythematosus (SLE) is contemplated.

IX. Predicting Efficacy of Anti-cancer Treatments With Anti-DR5 Agonists

The inventors have discovered that expression of the gene product Myc isnecessary but not sufficient for efficacy of anti-DR5 antibodies toinduce apoptosis in tumor cells. Accordingly, expression of Myc in tumorcells (e.g., from a biopsy) provides a marker for identifying cells (andtherefore subjects) that are unlikely to respond to DR5-targetedtherapies. Specifically, if tumor cells express less Myc than wildtypecells, it is less likely that DR5-targeted therapy will be effectivethan if Myc is expressed at or above wildtype expression levels. Thus,the present invention provides methods of determining the efficacy ofanti-DR5 agonist antibody-based therapies by obtaining a sample of tumorcells from a subject and detecting expression levels of Myc in thecells, wherein a lower than wild type expression level of Myc indicatesthat the therapies will have reduced or no efficacy in killing tumorcells.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are provided to further illustrate the inventionbut not to limit its scope. Other variants of the invention will bereadily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and are encompassedby the appended claims.

Abbreviations:

abs. absolute

i-BuB(OH)2

DIEA N-Ethyldiisopropylamine

DMF N,N-Dimethyl-formamide

equiv equivalent(s)

ES-MSElectrospray Mass Spectroscopy

EtOAc ethyl acetate

h hour(s)

HPLC High Performance Liquid Chromatography

MeOH methanol

min minute(s)

m.p. melting point

MPLC Medium Pressure Liquid Chromatography

Rf ratio of fronts value obtained by TLC on silica gel 60 F254 (Merck,Darmstadt)

rt room temperature

TBTU O-(Benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluroniumtetrafluoroborate

TFA trifluoroacetic acid

TLC Thin Layer Chromatography

tR retention time

Ratios of eluents and other solvent mixtures are given in volume byvolume (v/v), if not mentioned otherwise.

Visualization of TLC:

TLC spots of final compounds or interemediates that are not detectableby UV-irradiation are visualized using a potassium permanganate stainingsolution followed by heating the plate.

Composition of potassium permanganate staining solution: 2.5 g of KMnO4(Potassium permanganate) (Fluka, Buchs, Switzerland) in 800 ml of H20and 200 ml of 1N H₂SO₄.

Analytical HPLC Conditions:

System 1

Linear gradient 2-100% CH₃CN (0.1% TFA) and H₂O (0.1% TFA) in 10 min +2min 100% CH₃CN (0.1% TFA); detection at 215 nm, flow rate 0.7 mL/min at25° C. Column: Nucleosil 120-3 C18 (125×3.0 mm).

System 2

Linear gradient 20-100% CH₃CN (0.1% TFA) and H₂O (0.1% TFA) in 7 min +2min 100% CH₃CN (0.1% TFA); detection at 215 nm, flow rate 1 mL/min at30° C. Column: Nucleosil 100-3 C18HD (125×4 mm).

System 3

Linear gradient 20-100% CH₃CN (0.1% TFA) and H₂O (0.1% TFA) in 7 min +2min 100% CH₃CN (0.1% TFA); detection at 215 nm, flow rate 1 mL/min at30° C. Column: Nucleosil 100-3 C8 HD (125×4 mm).

Example 1:(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

Step A: A 4N solution of HCl in dioxane (5.7 mL, 22.77 mMol, 30 equiv)is added to a cold (0° C.) solution of{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-(1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ((A) in Synthetic Scheme 1) (0.352 g, 0.759 mMol) inCH₂Cl₂ abs. (5.5 mL), under an argon atmosphere. The resulting mixtureis allowed to warm to rt and stirred for 10 min. Additional 4N HCl (1.9mL, 7.59 mMol, 10 equiv) is added. The reaction mixture is stirred for10 min and concentrated to afford the crude hydrochloride as a yellowfoam.

Step B: DIEA abs. (0.72 mL, 4.14 mMol, 5 equiv) is added dropwise (1.9mL/min) to a cold (0° C.) solution of the crude hydrochloride (0.331 g,0.828 mMol),(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid((B) in Synthetic Scheme 1) (0.518 g, 0.994 mMol, 1.2 equiv), and TBTU(0.292 g, 0.910 mMol, 1.1 equiv) in DMF abs. (3.0 mL), under an argonatmosphere. The reaction mixture is allowed to warm to rt, stirred for40 min and poured onto 0° C. H₂O (45 mL). The resulting precipitate iscollected by vacuum filtration, dissolved in EtOAc and washed with H₂O.The organic phase is dried (Na₂SO₄), filtered and concentrated. Theresidue is purified by silica gel (25 g) column chromatography(CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10) to afford the title compound as a yellow foam.

Title compound: ES-MS: 754.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.85min (System 1); R_(f)=0.72 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10).

The starting materials are prepared as follows:

(a) (S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid (for Step B)

The title compound is prepared by heating a suspension of3-bromo-biphenyl (1.47 mL, 8.54 mMol, Aldrich 25,538-6),(S)-2-amino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(3,4,5-OCH₃-phe-OH) (3.27 g, 12.81 mMol), K₂CO₃ (1.18 g, 8.54 mMol) andCuI (163 mg, 0.854 mMol) in DMF abs. (10.6 mL) for 24 h at 90° C., underan argon atmosphere. The resulting mixture is allowed to cool to rt,then concentrated in vacuo and purified by MPLC (CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) toafford the title compound.

Title compound: ES-MS: 408.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=8.86 min(System 1).

(b) (S)-2-Amino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(L-3,4,5-Trimethoxy-phenyl-alanine)

The title compound is prepared from commercially available3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde and N-acetylglycine according to aliterature procedure (E.M. Oltz, R. C. Bruening, M. J. Smith, K. Kustinand K. Nakanishi in J Am. Chem. 1998, 110 (18), 6162-6172). Theresolution of the racemic N-acetyl-3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenylalanine methylester is performed by enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of the L-ester usingAlcalase® (Novo Nordisk) as described in the literature (J. J. Nestor,Jr., T. L. Ho, R. A. Simpson, B. L. Horner, G. H. Jones, G. I. McRae andB. H. Vickery in J Med. Chem. 1982, 25 (7), 795-801; or O. D. Tyagi & P.M. Boll in Indian J Chem. 1992, pp. 851-854).

Title compound: [α]_(D) ²⁰=-18.9° (c=1.025, H₂O); ES-MS: 256.1 [M+H]⁺;HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=2.08 min (System 2).

(c){(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester

The title compound is prepared as described in step B of example 1 butusing(S)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylammoniumtrifluoroacetate ((C) in Synthetic Scheme 1) (for preparation seeKettner, C. A. and Shenvi, A. B. J Biol. Chem. 1984, 259, p. 15106-15114and Matteson, D. S. and Sadhu, K. M. J Am. Chem. Soc. 1981, 103, p.5241-5242) (2.395 g, 6.32 mMol), Boc-L-valine (1.373 g, 6.32 mMol), TBTU(2.23 g, 6.95 mMol, 1.1 equiv), DIEA (3.3 mL, 18.95 mMol, 3.0 equiv) andDMF (24 mL).

Title compound: ES-MS: 465.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=9.95 min(System 1).

Example 2:(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

i-BuB(OH)₂ is added to a mixture of(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide,methanol (4.3 mL), hexane (4.3 mL) and 1N HCl (1.45 mL). The reactionmixture is stirred for 2 h at rt and then diluted with methanol (8 mL)and hexane (8 mL). The two layers are separated. The methanol layer iswashed twice with hexane, diluted with CH₂Cl₂, washed with H₂O, dried(Na₂SO₄), filtered and concentrated. The residue is dissolved in CH₂Cl₂and purified by silica gel (20 g) column chromatography (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH,80/20) to afford the title compound as a pale yellow foam.Title compound: ES-MS: 618.2 [M-H]⁻; R_(f)=0.03 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 3(S)-3-Methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-2-[(S)-2-[2-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared from{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester ((A) in Synthetic Scheme 2) by reiteration of the2-step (deprotection/coupling) procedure described in example 1 butusing(S)-2-tert-Butoxycarbonylamino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid ((D) in Synthetic Scheme 2) and (3-Phenoxy-phenyl)-acetic acid ((F)in Synthetic Scheme 2) (Trans World Chemicals, Inc.; Rockville, Md.,USA) as the partners in each coupling reaction (step B, example 1),respectively. The title compound is obtained as a white solid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 812.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.13min (System 1); R_(f)=0.41 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 3.1: (S)-2-Amino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(L-2,3,4-Trimethoxy-phenyl-alanine)

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-Amino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid (example 1).

Title compound: ES-MS: 256.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: t_(R)=2.54 min (System 2);[α]_(D) ²⁰=−18.5° (c=0.99, H₂O).

Step 3.2:(S)-2-tert-Butoxycarbonylamino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid

The title compound is synthesised starting from(S)-2-Amino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid according to aprocedure known in the art (M. Bodanszky in Principles of PeptideSynthesis, Akad.-Verlag, 1984).

Title compound: ES-MS: 356.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: t_(R)=5.35 min (System 1);[α]_(D) ²⁰=−2.5° (c=0.985, MeOH).

Example 4(R)-3-Methyl-1-{(S)-3-methyl-2-[(S)-2-[2-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyrylamino}-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 676.0[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.025 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 5(S)-3-Methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-2-[(S)-2-(3-phenyl-propionyl-amino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared from{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester by reiteration of the 2-step(deprotection/coupling) procedure described in example 1 but using(S)-2-(tert-butyloxycarbonyl-amino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid and 3-Phenyl-propionic acid (Fluka, Buchs, Switzerland) as thepartners in each coupling reaction (step B, example 1), respectively.

Title compound: ES-MS: 734.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.25min (System 1); R_(f)=0.41 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 6(R)-3-Methyl-1-{(S)-3-methyl-2-[(S)-2-(3-phenyl-propionylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyrylamino}-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 598.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.025 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 7(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 694.4 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=12.01min (System 1); R_(f)=0.56 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 7.1: (S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using O-methyl-L-tyrosine (Bachem). Purification by MPLC(CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) afforded the title compound; ES-MS: 348.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC:single peak at t_(R)=9.52 min (System 1).

Example 8(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 558.0[M−H]⁻; HPLC: t_(R)=6.47 min (System 3); R_(f)=0.086 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH,95/5).

Example 9(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 724.4 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.75min (System 1); R_(f)=0.41 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 9.1: (S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-L-alanine (Aldrich).Purification by MPLC (CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) afforded the title compound; ES-MS:378.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=9.10 min (System 1).

Example 10(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 588.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.090 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 11(S)-2-[(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 720.4 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.85min (System 1); R_(f)=0.43 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 11.1:(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylaminoc-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using 1-bromo-3-isopropylbenzene (Lancaster).Purification by MPLC (CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) afforded the title compound; ES-MS:374.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=8.95 min (System 1).

Example 12(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronic acid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 584.3[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.13 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 13(S)-3-Methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-2-[(S)-2-(3-pyridin-2-yl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(S)-2-(3-Pyridin-2-yl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 755.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=9.97 min(System 1); R_(f)=0.23 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 13.1: 2-(3-Bromo-phenyl)-pyridine

The title compound is prepared according to literature procedures:Zhang, Biliang, Breslow, Ronald Ester Hydrolysis by a CatalyticCyclodextrin Dimer Enzyme Mimic with a Metallobipyridyl Linking Group.J. Am. Chem. Soc. (1997), 119(7), 1676-1681; M. Van der Sluis, V.Beverwijk, A. Termaten, F. Bickelhaupt, H. Kooijman, A. L. SpekSynthesis of Novel Phosphaalkene-Based Bidentate Ligands Mes *P:CH(3-R-Ar) (R=Pyridyl, Carbaldimino) and Formation of Three-MemberedPalladacycles Mes *(Me)P-CH(3-R-Ar)-PdCl by Carbopalladation of the P:CDouble Bond. Organometallics (1999), 18(8), 1402-1407.

Title compound: ES-MS: 235.0 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=6.64 min(System 1); R_(f)=0.17 (Hexane/Et₂O, 80/20).

Step 13.2:(S)-2-(3-Pyridin-2-yl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using 2-(3-Bromo-phenyl)-pyridine. Purification by MPLC(CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) afforded the title compound; ES-MS: 409.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC:single peak at t_(R)=6.64 min (System 1).

Example 14(R)-3-Methyl-1-{(S)-3-methyl-2-[(S)-2-(3-pyridin-2-yl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyrylamino}-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 619.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.044 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 15(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 754.4 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=12.08min (System 1); R_(f)=0.66 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 15.1:(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using (S)-2-Amino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid. Purification by MPLC (CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) afforded the title compound;ES-MS: 408.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=9.42 min (System 1).

Example 16(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 618.3[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.23 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 17(S)-2-[(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-(biphenyl-3-ylamino)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-(biphenyl-3-ylamino)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 770.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=12.45min (System 1); R_(f)=0.74 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 17.1: (S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-(biphenyl-3-ylamino)-propionicacid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using (S)-2-Amino-3-(4-benzyloxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(O-benzyl-L-tyrosine). Purification by MPLC (CH₃CN/H₂O/TFA) afforded thetitle compound; ES-MS: 424.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=10.40min (System 1).

Example 18(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-(biphenyl-3-ylamino)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 633.9[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.65 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10).

Example 19(R)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(R)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester.

Title compound: ES-MS: 754.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.73min (System 1); R_(f)=0.52 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 19.1:{(R)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester

The title compound is prepared as described for{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester (example 1 (c)) but using Boc-D-valine (Fluka).

Title compound: ES-MS: 465.4 [M+H]⁺.

Example 20(R)-1-{(R)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 618.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.088 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 21(S)-2-[(R)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using(R)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 754.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.71min (System 1); R_(f)=0.67 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 21.1:(R)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

The title compound is prepared as described for(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid(example 1) but using (R)-2-amino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid (3,4,5-OCH₃-phe-OH).

Title compound: ES-MS: 408.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=9.10 min(System 1).

For the synthesis of (R)-2-amino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid see example 1.

After the enzymatic resolution, the remaining D-aminoacid-methylester ishydrolysed and deacetylated using protocols known in the art; [α]_(D)²⁰=+19.7° (c=1.04, H₂O); ES-MS: 256.2 [M+H]⁺; single peak at t_(R)=2.11min (System 2).

Example 22(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(R)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 618.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.20 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10).

Example 23(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[3-methyl-1-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-[1,3,2]dioxaborolan-2-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[3-methyl-1-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-[1,3,2]dioxaborolan-2-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbarnicacid tert-butyl ester.

The title compound is obtained as a crude product; ES-MS: 702.3 [M+H]⁺;HPLC: t_(R)=10.31 min (System 1).

Step 23.1:{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[3-methyl-1-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-[1,3,2]dioxaborolan-2-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester

The title compound is prepared in analogy to the synthesis of{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester (example 1 (c)).

Title compound: ES-MS: 413.3 [M+H]⁺.

Example 241-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 618.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)0.076 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5); HPLC: two peaks at t_(R)=6.23min and 6.36 min (ratio 1:1) (System 3).

Example 25(S)-2-{(S)-3-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-2-[2-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared from{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester by reiteration of the 2-step(deprotection/coupling) procedure described in example 1 but usingBoc-L-3,4-dimethoxyphenylalanine (Synthetech) and(3-Phenoxy-phenyl)-acetic acid (Trans World Chemicals, Inc.; Rockville,Md., USA) as the partners in each coupling reaction (step B, example 1),respectively. The title compound is obtained as a foam; ES-MS: 782.3[M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.76 min (System 1); R_(f)=0.61(CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10).

Example 26(R)-1-((S)-2-{(S)-3-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-2-[2-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butyrylamino)-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 646.2[M−H]⁻; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=5.90 min (System 3); R_(f)=0.12(CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10).

Example 27(S)-3-Methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-2-[(S)-2-[2-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared from{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester by reiteration of the 2-step(deprotection/coupling) procedure described in example 1 but using(S)-2-tert-Butoxycarbonylamino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid and (3-Phenoxy-phenyl)-acetic acid (Trans World Chemicals, Inc.;Rockville, Md., USA) as the partners in each coupling reaction (step B,example 1), respectively. The title compound is obtained as a yellowfoam; ES-MS: 812.4 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.36 min (System1); R_(f)=0.53 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 27.1:(S)-2-tert-Butoxycarbonylamino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid

The title compound is synthesised as described for(S)-2-tert-Butoxycarbonylamino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid (Example 3) but starting from(S)-2-Amino-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 356 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: t_(R)=4.83 min (System 2);m.p.=76-80° C.; [α]_(D) ²⁰=+13.4° (c=1.01, methanol).

Example 28(R)-3-Methyl-1-{(S)-3-methyl-2-[(S)-2-[2-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-butyrylamino}-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 676.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.14 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 29(S)-2-{(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-[2-(3-benzyloxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-N-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared from{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester by reiteration of the 2-step(deprotection/coupling) procedure described in example 1 but using(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-propionic acid and(3-Phenoxy-phenyl)-acetic acid (Trans World Chemicals, Inc.; Rockville,Md., USA) as the partners in each coupling reaction (step B, example 1),respectively. The title compound is obtained as a beige foam; ES-MS:842.0 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=12.19 min (System 1);R_(f)=0.37 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 29.1:(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-propionic acid

The title compound is synthesised as described for(S)-2-tert-Butoxycarbonylamino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid (Example 3) but starting from O-Benzyl-L-tyrosine (Fluka).

Title compound: ES-MS: 370.1 [M−H]⁻; HPLC: t_(R)=9.23 min (System 1).

Example 30(R)-1-((S)-2-{(S)-3-(4-Benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-[2-(3-benzyloxy-phenyl)-acetylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butyrylamino)-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The titled compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 705.8[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.12 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 31(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-4-methyl-pentanoicacid[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-amide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-3-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-butyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester.

Title compound: ES-MS: 768.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.79min (System 1); R_(f)=0.72 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 31.1:{(S)-3-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-butyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester

The title compound is prepared as described for{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester (example 1 (c)) but using Boc-L-leucine.

Title compound: ES-MS: 479.2 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=10.05min (System 1).

Example 32(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-4-methyl-pentanoylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 632.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.15 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 33(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-4-methyl-pentanoicacid[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-amide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-3-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-butyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid. itlecompound: ES-MS: 738.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.76 min(System 1); R_(f)=0.59 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 34(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-4-methyl-pentanoylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 602.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.14 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 35(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-4-methyl-pentanoicacid[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butyl]-amide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-3-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-butyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 708.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=12.03min (System 1); R_(f)=0.70 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 36(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-4-methyl-pentanoylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 572.1[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.25 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 90/10).

Example 37(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-N-{(S)-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionamide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester.

Title compound: ES-MS: 726.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.24min (System 1); R_(f)=0.41 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 37.1:{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester

The title compound is prepared as described for{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester (step 1.1, example 1) but using Boc-L-alanine(Fluka).

Title compound: ES-MS: 437.4 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=10.91min (System 1).

Example 38(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 590.0[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.12 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 39(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-N-{(S)-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionamide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 726.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.71min (System 1); R_(f)=0.45 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 40(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 590.0[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.033 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 41(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-N-{(S)-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-propionamide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 666.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.63min (System 1); R_(f)=0.46 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 42(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 530.3[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.051 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 43(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-N-{(S)-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-propionamide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 696.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.39min (System 1); R_(f)=0.53 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 44(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 560.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.023 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 45(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylamino)-N-{(S)-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionamide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionicacid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 692.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.49min (System 1); R_(f)=0.24 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 46(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(3-Isopropyl-phenylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-propionylamino}-3-methyl-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 560.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.22 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 47(S)-N-{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-2-(3-phenyl-propionylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionamide

The title compound is prepared from{(S)-1-[(R)-3-Methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-ethyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester by reiteration of the 2-step(deprotection/coupling) procedure described in example 1 but using(S)-2-Amino-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid and3-Phenyl-propionic acid (Fluka) as the partners in each couplingreaction (step B, example 1), respectively.

Title compound: ES-MS: 706.3 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=10.81min (System 1); R_(f)=0.32 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 48(R)-3-Methyl-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(3-phenyl-propionylamino)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-propionylamino}-butylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 570.3[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.22 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 49(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-2-phenyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-ethyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-2-Methyl-1[(R)-2-phenyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-ethylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester.

Title compound: ES-MS: 788.0 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.66min (System 1); R_(f)=0.79 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Step 49.1:{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-2-phenyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-ethylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester

The title compound is prepared in analogy to the synthesis of{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-3-methyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-butylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester (example 1 (c)).

Title compound: ES-MS: 499.1 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=10.78min (System 1).

Example 50(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-2-phenyl-ethylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 652.2[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.22 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 51(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-N-[(R)-2-phenyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5-dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec4-yl)-ethyl]-butyramide

The title compound is prepared as described in example 1 but using{(S)-2-Methyl-1-[(R)-2-phenyl-1-((1S,2S,6R,8S)-2,9,9-trimethyl-3,5dioxa-4-bora-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^(2,6)]dec-4-yl)-ethylcarbamoyl]-propyl}-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester and(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid.

Title compound: ES-MS: 727.9 [M+H]⁺; HPLC: single peak at t_(R)=11.87min (System 1); R_(f)=0.73 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 52(R)-1-{(S)-2-[(S)-2-(Biphenyl-3-ylamino)-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionylamino]-3-methyl-butyrylamino}-2-phenyl-ethylboronicacid

The title compound is prepared as described in example 2; ES-MS: 591.8[M−H]⁻; R_(f)=0.13 (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH, 95/5).

Example 53 Inhibition of the Chymotrypsin-Like activity of the 20SProteasome

Exemplary IC₅₀ values determined according to the test described abovefor compounds of formula I are given below (Table 1). TABLE 1 IC₅₀ [μM](results of Example one or two experiments) 1 0.0046/0.0024 20.0028/0.0021 3 0.0017/0.0014 4 0.0019/0.0015 5 0.0013/0.0006 60.0018/0.0019 7 0.0029/0.0032 8 0.0028/0.0045 9 0.0017/0.0022 100.0029/0.004  11 0.0039 12 0.0038 13 0.0013 14 0.0017 15 0.0071 160.0059 17 0.0093 18 0.0015 21 0.0015 22 0.0017 23 0.0021 24 0.0021 250.0008 26 0.001 27 0.0003 28 0.0008 29 0.004 30 0.0059 31 0.0022 320.0037 33 0.0026 34 0.0013 35 0.0023 36 0.0023 37 0.0013 38 0.0017 390.0019 40 0.0022 41 0.0012 42 0.0019 43 0.0018 44 0.001 45 0.0013 460.0019 47 0.0008 48 0.0007 50 0.0023 51 0.0043 52 0.005

Example 54

As part of our assay development for the anti-DR5 screen, we cloned,expressed and purified Trail ligand and tested it on Jurkat cells todetermine if we could kill cells with the ligand. The assay comprisedAlamar Blue, a redox dye that fluoresces when living cells reduce thedye. When cells are killed by apoptosis, the resulting environment isoxidizing and the dye is not reduced and no fluorescence can bedetected. As illustrated in FIG. 1, TRAIL induced apoptosis in Jurkatcells.

A screen for antibody agonists was performed. Mice were immunized withthe DR5 receptor and B cells were fused to myelomas. The resultinghybridomas were arrayed into 384 well plates and following several daysof growth, 20 μl of supernatant and cross-linking antibody was added towells containing Jurkat cells. Twenty-four hours later alamar blue dyewas added and 24 hours later the plate was read using an Acquest.Several positive wells containing positively reacting antibodies wereidentified.

The specificity of the positive antibodies was tested. Three hybridomasthat gave a positive signal in the assay were sub-cloned, expanded andpurified. Twenty-one TNF receptors were cloned, expressed and purified.Receptors were coated on wells and the three antibodies were subjectedto ELISA analysis. The results show that the antibodies were onlyreactive with DR5, and thus, were very specific. See, FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 displays a dose response analysis. The 3 antibody agonists showdifferent dose responses relative to Jurkat cell killing. Antibody A(ATCC Deposit No. ______) had the best potency and thus was chosen forfurther studies. Imgenex-257 is a DR5 specific antibody that has nofunctional activity.

Caspase 3 activation was determined. To determine if the antibody waskilling the cells by apoptosis and not by some indirect or non-specificmechanism, we ran Caspase-3 activity assays. Antibody or ligand wasmixed with cells at various concentrations and cell extracts weregenerated from the treated cells. A fluorescent substrate was added tothe lysate, which could be used to test for active caspase 3, anindicator of apoptosis. The antibody stimulated apoptosis in a similarfashion to the ligand. FIG. 4 displays the results.

The effects of DR5 antibody on colon and melanoma cell lines wasdetermined. FIG. 5 shows dose response curves against various attachedtumor cell lines. All of the cell lines are sensitive to the DR5apoptosis inducing antibodies except the HCT 116 bax/bax-cell line,which is incapable of carrying out apoptosis.

FIG. 6 displays the same experiment carried out on various breast cancercell lines. T47D and ZR-75-1 are both resistant to the tumoricidalactivity of DR5, whereas, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 are sensitive.

FIG. 7 shows that tumor cells are sensitive to the action of theantibody but normal cells, human lung fibroblasts (HLF) and humanumbilical vein epithelial cells (HUVEC) were resistant as indicated bytheir lack of a dose response.

To further demonstrate the point that normal cells are not killed by theantibody, human lung fibroblasts, human mammary epithelial cells andnormal primary human hepatocytes were assayed for caspase 3 activityfollowing treatment with the DR5 antibody. None of the normal cellsshowed activity whereas, DOHH2 follicular lymphoma and Jurkat cellsshowed Caspase activation associated with apoptosis. See, FIG. 8.

In addition, CaOV3, an ovarian cancer cell line, is wiped out by theantibody, whereas, the normal HLF's and HMEC's are completely unaffectedby the DR5 antibody.

In vivo efficacy of the antibodies was tested. Ten mice were injectedwith 5×10⁶ colo 205 (colon tumor cells) subcutaneously at day 0.Treatment with the DR5 antibody (400 μg ) was started on day 11. After 2injections with 400 μg of DR5 the 5 treated animals showed no evidenceof tumor whereas the 5 mice given PBS all had large tumors. Thus theantibody appears to be effective in vivo.

The study was continued through Day 32. The untreated mice had largetumors or died. The treated mice showed no disease. The experiment wasterminated at day 50. All of the untreated were dead. None of thetreated showed any relapse at day 50. FIG. 9 displays the Colo 205efficacy study shown graphically. The arrows refer to the treatmentdays.

The previous experiment represents a single dose study. To determine thepotency of the antibody, we carried out a large dose response study. Thegroup size was expanded to 8 mice per group and 50, 200, and 400 μgdoses were given as described in the previous single dose study. Theresults indicate that the antibody is effective at low (e.g., 50 μg)doses. See, FIG. 10.

A smaller dose response study on a new tumor model, the melanoma cellline A2058, was also performed. This cell line was more resistant to theantibody in vitro. The group size was 2 mice. The treated mice (400 μg)shows in vivo tumoricidal activity, whereas the mice treated with 20 μgor PBS established large tumors. See, FIG. 11.

Since different cell lines show various degrees of sensitivity to theDR5 antibody, we explored the development of small molecule synergiststhat sensitize resistant or pertly resistant cell lines to the action ofthe antibody. We approached this problem by analyzing apoptoticpathways, determining where apoptosis could potentially be blocked, andwhat types of small molecule synergists could be pro-apoptotic innature.

FIG. 12 depicts the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways for apoptosis. Thekey points are that tumor cells over-express inhibitors of apoptosis(IAPs) and Bcl2 that blocks the release of key pro-apoptotic proteins(cyto C and SMAC) from the mitochondria. The blocks established by theseproteins can be overcome by the addition of SMAC. SMAC inhibits theIAPs. A SMAC mimetic called LB 672 was tested for its possiblesynergstic effect to sensitize tumor cells to the action of the DR5agonist.

FIG. 13 shows the effect of the SMAC mimetic on A2058 melanoma cells.Previously, we showed that these cells are partially sensitive to theantibody. This graph shows that cell treated with SMAC and DR5 antibodyare completely ablated while the 672 compound has virtually no activityon its own.

FIG. 14 displays dose response graphs showing the effects of differentconcentrations of SMAC on A2058 melanoma cells. Again, these tumor cellsare partially resistant, but are sensitized to low levels of SMAC(50-100 nM). However, more importantly, neither HMEC or HLF cells aresensitized by the SMAC mimetic LB672.

FIG. 15 shows the pharmakokinetic properties of SMAC.

A second synergist strategy was employed to test the use of proteasomeinhibitors as DR4/DR5 synergists. As shown in FIG. 16, proteasomeinhibitors prevent the proteasome from degrading IκB. This in turnprevents the release of NFκB. NFκB is known to translocate to thenucleus and initiate transcription of BCL2, IAPS, and otheranti-apoptotic factors.

We first tested whether proteasome inhibitors would sensitize tumorcells to DR5 by the addition of MG 132, a commercially available weakproteasome inhibitor. FIG. 17 shows that at reasonably highconcentrations, MG 132 sensitized resistant SW 480 colon cells to theaction of the antibody.

We also obtained several potent proteasome inhibitors. The compoundsthat showed the best effects were the boronates. The maximal tolerateddoses demonstrate that these compounds are relatively toxic, and thusthere is a narrow window between toxicity and tumoricidal efficacy invivo. See, FIG. 18.

The proteasome inhibitors sensitized A2058-LUC to the DR5 antibodies.See, FIG. 19. The proteasome inhibitors sensitized the resistanthepatoma cell line HUH-7 to the antibodies as well. See, FIG. 20.However, neither compound had an effect on normal HMEC cells.Furthermore, these cells were not sensitized to the action of theantibody. See, FIG. 21.

Variable regions from the DR5 mouse antibody A were cloned out andinserted into an SP20 Expression system. These vectors encode Human IgG1 Fc. The resulting human chimera is 80% human and 20% mouse. Thenucleic acid sequences of the heavy and light chain variable regions aredisplayed in FIG. 22. The amino acid sequence of the heavy chainvariable region is displayed in FIG. 24 or FIG. 35 and the amino acidsequence of the light chain variable region is displayed in FIG. 25 orFIG. 35. The chimera was expressed in SP2/0 cells at 20 pg/cell/day. Theresulting human chimeric antibody was cross-linked with a goatanti-human Fc and tested for functional activity. The chimeric hadfunctional tumoricidal activity equivalent to the mouse antibody. See,FIG. 21.

Example 55

A library of siRNA molecules was transfected into cells, the cells werecontacted with TRAIL and the cells were screened for altered viabilitycompared to the absence of TRAIL. Cells with altered viability were thenused to identify the particular siRNA transfected into the cell, therebydetermining the gene inhibited by the siRNA. See, FIGS. 26 and 27.

FIG. 28 illustrates gene products corresponding to siRNAs that wereselected based on the screen. Gene products whose inhibition with siRNAsleads to a low TRAIL (+/−) ratio are inhibitors of TRAIL-inducedapoptosis.

Table 1 provides additional information, including Genbank accessionproducts identified in FIG. 28. TABLE 1 annotation acc# symbol untreatedtrail ratio P score Activators of TRAIL-induced apoptosis H.s plexin B1(PLXNB1), mRNA″ NM_002673 PLXNB1 73.85 5.96 0.081 6.27E−05 H.s. SETdomain-containing protein 7 (SET7), mRNA NM_030648 SET7 79.06 7.30 0.0920.000266 H.s. mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5 (MAP3K5)NM_005923 MAP3K5 86.84 8.58 0.099 0.000585 H.s. STE20-like kinase (JIK),mRNA NM_016281 JIK 86.41 8.67 0.102 0.000727 H.s MAP kinase-interactingserine/threonine kinase 1 (MKNK1) NM_003684 MKNK1 76.61 8.13 0.1050.000755 H.s. putative endoplasmic reticulum multispan transmembraneNM_052859 RFT1 77.39 7.99 0.105 0.000892 protein (RFT1) Homo sapiensphosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase, type I, XM_047620 PIP5K1C83.06 8.88 0.107 0.001498 gamma (PIP5K1C) H.s mitogen-activated proteinkinase-activated protein kinase 2 NM_004759 MAPKAPK2 77.71 8.44 0.1130.002227 (MAPKAPK2), transcript variant 1 H.s. mitogen-activated proteinkinase kinase 5 (MAP2K5) NM_002757 MAP2K5 94.66 11.24 0.119 0.00381 H.s.cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), mRNA NM_001259 CDK6 84.10 10.52 0.1250.006206 H.s. activin A receptor type II-like 1 (ACVRL1), mRNA NM_000020ACVRL1 84.64 10.40 0.128 0.006776 H.s. Gardner-Rasheed feline sarcomaviral (v-fgr) oncogene NM_005248 FGR 106.43 13.45 0.129 0.007914 homolog(FGR), mRNA H.s. hypothetical protein FLJ21802 (FLJ21802), mRNANM_024644 FLJ21802 96.15 12.46 0.133 0.006866 H.s muscle, skeletal,receptor tyrosine kinase (MUSK), mRNA″″″ NM_005592 MUSK 96.32 12.170.127 0.008166 H.s. chromosome 20 open reading frame 88 (C20orf88), mRNANM_080820 C20orf88 76.58 10.09 0.132 0.009842 H.s budding uninhibited bybenzimidazoles 1 (yeast homolog) NM_004336 BUB1 75.76 9.65 0.1330.009722 (BUB1), mRNA″″″ H.s ribosomal protein S6 kinase, 90 kD,polypeptide 5 (RPS6KA5), NM_004755 RPS6KA5 77.84 10.22 0.132 0.010693mRNA″″″ H.s v-yes-1 Yamaguchi sarcoma viral related oncogene homologNM_002350 LYN (LYN), mRNA″″″ H.s. mitogen-activated protein kinase 7(MAPK7), mRNA   NM_002749.1 MAPK7 H.s v-akt murine thymoma viraloncogene homolog 1 (AKT1), NM_005163 AKT mRNA″″″ Hs. signal recognitionparticle 72 kD (SRP72), mRNA NM_006947 SRP72 77.23 71.11 0.946 0.00073Inhibitors of TRAIL-induced apoptosis Caspase-8 NM_001228 CASP8 99.3084.45 0.850 0.002444 Bid NM_001196 Bid 110.50 91.95 0.832 0.003027 DR4trail receptor 1 NM_003844 DR4 87.26 70.90 0.807 0.003725 H.s B lymphoidtyrosine kinase (BLK), mRNA NM_001715 BLK 98.04 77.87 0.801 0.004003similar to Pyruvate kinase, M2 isozyme (LOC148283), XM_086132 PKM2like83.15 60.32 0.778 0.006752 H.s glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha (GSK3A),mRNA NM_019884 GSK3A 104.20 76.91 0.740 0.008469 hypothetical proteinFLJ32312 (FLJ32312), NM_144709 FLJ32312 88.32 65.01 0.751 0.010144 H.s.mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10), mRNA NM_002753 MAPK10/JNK3TCF4: transcription factor 4, LocusID: 6926 NM_003199 TCF4 H.s v-ablAbelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2 NM_005158 ABL2 (arg,Abelson-related gene) (ABL2), transcript H.s v-ros avian UR2 sarcomavirus oncogene homolog 1 (ROS1), NM_002944 ROS1 mRNA″ v-myc avianmyelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog NM_002467 MYC

Example 56

siRNAs were identified that specifically inhibit expression of Gsk3α orGSK3β, thereby allowing us to determine the effect of either geneproduct on TRAIL-induced apoptosis. As illustrated in FIG. 29,inhibition of Gsk3α, but not Gsk3β, reduces Caspase activity in cellscompared to controls. Thus, Gsk3α is an activator of TRAIL-inducedapoptosis. Similarly, two other gene products SRP72 and FLJ32312, werealso identified as activators of apoptosis.

The relationship of various components identified herein is provided inFIG. 30. The figure illustrates the relation and effect (e.g., apoptosisactivator or inhibitor) of various components of the TRAIL-inducedapoptosis pathway.

Example 57

A siRNA library targeting 510 genes arrayed in 384 well format wastransfected into Hela cells. Cells were incubated for 48 hours to allowtarget decay, and treated with or without TRAIL. Viability was measured20 hours after TRAIL treatment using alamar blue. A sensitivity ratiowas determined for each siRNA for comparison with a total of 60 valuesobtained with control siRNAs. Hela cells treated with TRAIL ligandresulted in ˜40% reduction in viability as measured by MTT assays incontrol wells. siRNAs that significantly inhibited or enhanced cellsdeath were identified. See, Tables 2 and 3, respectively. TABLE 2Inhibitor siRNAs Acc. Number Symbol SR p value NM_006947 SRP72 0.948.5E−22 NM_001715 BLK 0.79 5.9E−16 XM_086132 PKM2-like 0.75 3.6E−14NM_019884 GSK3A 0.73 3.6E−14 NM_144709 FLJ32312 0.72 1.8E−12 NM_002467C-MYC 0.69 5.3E−11 NM_025133 FLJ12673 0.65 2.9E−09 NM_002944 ROS1 0.612.5E−08 NM_005158 ABL2 0.61 2.9E−08 NM_004705 DAP4 0.61 3.2E−08NM_002753 JNK3 0.60 7.8E−08 NM_003199 TCF4 0.59 2.0E−07 NM_022575 VPS160.59 2.1E−07 NM_000858 GUK1 0.59 3.3E−07 NM_006257 PRKCQ 0.55 8.9E−06NM_006252 PRKAA2 0.54 5.3E−05 AK074085 FLJ00156 0.53 8.6E−05 NM_006254PRKCD 0.53 1.0E−04 NM_001569 IRAK1 0.52 1.3E−04 NM_004422 DVL2 0.521.3E−04

TABLE 3 Enhancer siRNAs Acc. Number Symbol SR p value NM_012290 TLK10.15 3.7E−21 NM_016231 NLK 0.15 5.7E−22 NM_015071 GRAF 0.14 1.4E−21NM_000162 GCK 0.14 2.5E−22 NM_005163 AKT1 0.14 1.1E−22 NM_002749 ERK50.14 6.8E−23 NM_002350 LYN 0.14 3.0E−24 NM_004755 RPS6KA5 0.13 5.6E−24NM_004336 BUB1 0.13 8.2E−27 NM_005592 MUSK 0.12 3.2E−27 NM_024644FLJ21802 0.12 9.5E−28 NM_005248 FGR 0.12 2.2E−28 NM_000020 ACVRL1 0.123.4E−28 NM_002757 MEKK5 0.11 1.4E−28 XM_047620 PIP5K1C 0.11 2.8E−33NM_004759 MAPKAPK2 0.10 1.9E−18 NM_052859 RFT1 0.10 7.8E−35 NM_003684MKNK1 0.10 9.3E−37 NM_016281 JIK 0.09 4.4E−37 NM_002673 PLXNB1 0.082.7E−38

Several siRNAs identified in the screen that enhanced cell death asmeasured by viability assays were tested for their ability to enhancecaspase activation by DR5 agonistic antibodies. DR5 antibody wastitrated to produce a minimal amount of caspase activation as measuredby fluorogenic peptides (DEVD-afc). The siRNAs directed against nsrna,nsurf, PAK1, stk12, Ask1 and JIK were transfected into Hela cells andthen treated with DR5 antibodies. Control siRNA (nsrna) had littleeffect whereas the identified siRNAs significantly enhanced caspaseactivity.

Several additional (distinct from those in the screen) siRNAs directedtowards PAK1 were designed and tested for their effect on viability inthe presence or absence of DR5 antibody. The siRNA included: siPAK1-0AGAGCTGCTACAGCATCAA (SEQ ID NO:11) siPAK1-1 GACAUCCAACAGCCAGAAA (SEQ IDNO:12) siPAK1-2 GAGAAAGAGCGGCCAGAGA (SEQ ID NO:13) hPAK1-6UACCAGCACUAUGAUUGGA (SEQ ID NO:14) siPAK1-7 UCUGUAUACACACGGUCUG. (SEQ IDNO:15)

PAK1-1 and PAK1-2 strongly reduced viability (MTT assay) in the coloncarcinoma cell line HCT116 bax +/− at both 24 and 48 hours.

HCT116 bax −/− cells have both copies of bax deleted, rendering thesecells very resistant to chemotherapeutic treatment, including to TRAIL1and DR5 antibodies. However PAK1 siRNAs remained effective at reducingviability. These same results were also observed in colon carcinoma DLD1cells.

To determine whether silencing or inhibition of PAK1 was toxic to normalcells, we tested PAK1 siRNAs on a primary ovarian epithelial cell lineIOSE80. The results demonstrated that siRNAs directed against PAK1 donot reduce viability of normal cells. Thus, PAK1 and the other geneproducts.

In addition, siPAK1 does not significantly reduce viability in theprimary (“normal”) epithelial cell line HMEC, whereas it stronglyenhances DR5 and DR4 induced reduction of viability in the coloncarcinoma cell line HCT15.

Example 58

Synergistic Effect of UbcH10 Antagonist and anti-DR5 Antibody

This example describes synergistic effect of human ubiquitin conjugaseUbcH10 (UBE2C) antagonist and anti-DR5 antibody in inducing apoptosis intumor cells. UbcH10 plays an essential role in cell cycle regulation.Employing global analysis of gene expression and immunohistochemistry,the present inventors found that UbcH10 is significantly over-expressedin carcinomas of multiple anatomic sites, notably breast,stomach/esophagus, colorectum, lung and ovary. The data indicate thatUbcH10 plays an important role in tumor development. Therapeuticpotential of inhibiting UbcH10 in the treatment of cancers was thenexamined.

Reduction of cell growth by RNAi-mediated silencing of UbcH10expression. We first investigated the consequences of gene silencing intumor cells with high UbcH10 levels, we designed sequences for threedifferent and non-overlapping small interfering RNAs (siRNA)(UbcH10-495, UbcH10-378, UbcH10-412). Each siRNAs was initially testedin 2 cell lines, T3M4 (derived from a pancreatic carcinoma) and DLD-1(derived from colorectal carcinoma). All three of the siRNAs targeted toUbcH10, but not control siRNA, resulted in efficient diminution of theUbcH10 protein, which correlated with their ability to suppress cellgrowth. These data underscore the specificity of the UbcH10 siRNAs andindicate that the results are not due to “off-target” effects. Becausethe UbcH10-APC complex controls cyclin B1 degradation, we also examinedthe levels of cyclin B1 by Western blot analysis following UbcH10silencing. Our results revealed an inverse correlation between thelevels of UbcH10 protein in cells treated with siUbcH10 and the levelsof cyclin B1. Further, cell cycle analysis following siUbcH10 treatmentshowed arrest in the M-phase (data not shown), consistent withdisclosure in the art. Microscopically, down-regulation of UbcH10 didnot induce any changes in cell morphology indicative of apoptosis, suchas cell rounding, detachment, nuclear condensation or production ofapoptotic bodies. Moreover, siUbcH10 treatment did not result inproteolytic processing of the two executioner caspases, caspase-3 and -7(14), as measured by Western blot analysis and fluorescent caspaseactivity assays.

Down-regulating UbcH10 is additive to effects of standardchemotherapeutic drugs: UbcH10 is highly over-expressed in human cancerscompared to most normal tissues. To determine therapeutic potential oftargeting UbcH10, we surveyed several known chemotherapeutic and amolecularly targeted agent for potential tumor-specific effectssubsequent to UbcH10 silencing. For these studies, we employed themicrotubule-stabilizing agent paclitaxel, the spindle inhibitor,vinblastine, the DNA alkylation agent, mitomycin c, and a functionallyagonistic antibody capable of triggering DR5/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis,to cover a spectrum of agents with different mechanisms of action. Twopancreatic cancer cell lines, T3M4 and Panc-1, and anandrogen-independent prostate carcinoma cell line, CWR-RV1, were treatedwith siUbcH10 for 48 hours followed by incubation with vinblastine,paclitaxel, mitomycin c, and anti-DR5 for an additional 24 hours. Theresults indicate that co-treatment with mitotic poisons and DNA-damagingdrugs following UbcH10 silencing produced an additive reduction in cellviability in a number of tumor cell lines that we tested (FIG. 31).Initial treatment of cancer cells for 48 hours with siUbcH10 reduced theamount of viable cells by >50%, which were be further decreased by theaddition of cytotoxic agents for an additional 24 hours. Followingnormalization for the numbers of UbcH10-silenced cells, the IC90 or IC50concentrations were identical, indicating an additive effect. All threeindependent siRNAs targeted to UbcH10 exhibited similar effects withTRAIL in T3M4 and Panc-1 cells. The data are the mean of triplicates andsimilar results were obtained in four independent experiments.

Down-regulating UbcH10 sensitizes cells to TRAIL/DR5-mediated cellkilling: Primary human fibroblasts (BJ), human mammary epithelial cells(HMEC), and T3M4 cells were sequentially treated with siUbcH10(siUbcH10-495) for 48 hours followed by agonistic anti-DR5 antibodies(500 ng/ml) for an additional 6 hours. Fluorescent (FITC)-labeledcontrol siRNAs were used to ensure equal transfection efficacy of allcell lines including BJ and HMEC cells. Cells were analyzed bymicroscopy. The results were shown in FIGS. 31 and 32. As illustrated inthe figures, pre-treatment of T3M4 and Panc-1 cells withsiUbcH10significantly increased the apoptosis induced by anti-DR5antibodies compared to siRNA or anti-DR5 treatment alone, whereas it hada negligible effect in CWR-RV1 cells, which are TRAIL insensitive (FIG.31). The data indicated that incubation of cancer cell lines, mostnotably, T3M4, with anti-DR5 antibody subsequent to siUbcH10 treatmentexhibited dramatically enhanced apoptosis. This was not seen in primaryhuman skin fibroblasts (BJ) or mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) (FIGS. 31and 32). This observation seems to reflect a general phenomenon, sinceother TRAIL resistant tumor cell lines as well as normal cells were notmade sensitive to TRAIL by down-regulation of UbcH10.

Example 59

Synergy of anti-DR4 or anti-DR5 agonists and proteasome inhibitorsagainst Bax-defective tumor cells.

Defects in the DNA repair system (mismatch repair (MMR)) lead to geneticinstability because replication errors are not corrected. This type ofgenetic instability is a key event in the malignant progression ofhereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) and a subset ofsporadic colon cancers and mutation rates are particularly high at shortrepetitive sequences, such as those contained in the TGFbetaRII and BAXgenes. Thus, Bax loss in these tumors provides a severe survivaladvantage to natural and chemotherapeutic induction of apoptosis.

FIG. 34 illustrates that loss of Bax confers resistance to TRAIL ligand.However, proteasome inhibition restores sensitivity to TRAIL. Proteasomeinhibition by peptidyl-based inhibitors MG-132 or MG262 or Lactacystin,a natural compound, completely restores sensitivity to TRAIL in cellsdeficient in Bax. See, FIG. 34.

Proteasome inhibitors circumvent defects in the mitochondrial apoptosispathway. Depending on the cell type, active caspase-8 can lead directlyto the activation of downstream effector caspases like caspase-3 (socalled type-I-cells). In type-II-cells (most cells including HCT116),the two prototypical pathways, extrinsic (death-receptor) and intrinsic(mitochondrial), are interconnected by caspase-8-mediated cleavage ofthe pro-apoptotic bcl-2 family member Bid, which promotes themitochondrial release of cytochrome c and SMAC. Once released into thecytoplasm, cytochrome c associates with Apaf-1 and pro-caspase-9 formingthe “apoptosome”, which leads to the activation of pro-caspase-9 andsubsequent activation of effector caspases such as caspase-3. CytosolicSMAC, on the other hand, binds to members of the IAP (inhibitor ofapoptosis) protein family and thereby prevents IAP inhibition ofcaspase-3 and -9.

These events were readily observed by western blot analysis inTRAIL-treated Bax +/− cells (SMAC and cytochrome-c release not shown).See, FIG. 34. Likewise, in Bax −/− cells treated with TRAIL (T),caspase-8 processing and Bid processing occur as normal, however,caspase-9 and complete caspase-3 processing and maturation do not (lanes2, 3 and 4). This is as expected since Bax loss prevents eventsdownstream of Bid cleavage because the resulting pro-apoptotic fragmentof Bid requires Bax for these events. TRAIL (T)+MG-262 (M) completelyrestores the mitochondrial pathway resulting in caspase-9 and caspase-3processing and activation leading to cell death. MG-262 (M) on its ownhas no effect on this proteolytic cascade. These and other data indicatethat proteasome inhibition is useful in resensitizing tumor cellscontaining defects in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway to apoptosisinduced by TRAIL receptor agonists.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill inthe art in light of the teachings of this invention that certain changesand modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spiritor scope of the appended claims.

All publications, databases, Genbank sequences, patents, and patentapplications cited in this specification are herein incorporated byreference as if each was specifically and individually indicated to beincorporated by reference.

1. A method of inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell, the methodcomprising contacting the cell with: i. an anti-DR5 affinity agentagonist; and ii. an apoptosis-inducing agent.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the anti-DR5 antibody has the binding specificity of an antibodycomprising: i. a heavy chain variable region comprising SEQ ID NO:8; andii. a light chain variable region comprising SEQ ID NO:10.
 3. The methodof claim 2, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody comprises the complementaritydetermining regions of SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:10.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody has the binding specificity of anantibody comprising: i. a heavy chain variable region comprising SEQ IDNO:4; and ii. a light chain variable region comprising SEQ ID NO:5. 5.The method of claim 4, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody comprises thecomplementarity determining regions of SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:5. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein the agonist is a humanized antibody. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the agonist is a single chain antibody.8. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent comprises TRAIL.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the agent prevents or reduces the expressionof UbcH10.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent prevents orreduces the expression of BCL-2.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein theagent prevents activation of NFκB.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe agent prevents degradation of IκB.
 13. The method of claim 1,wherein the agent is a proteasome inhibitor.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the proteasome inhibitor is selected from the group consistingof PS-341, MG-262 and MG-132.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein theagent is an inhibitor of an Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) protein. 16.The method of claim 15, wherein the inhibitor is SMAC or a SMAC mimetic.17. The method of claim 1, wherein the cancer cell is a colon cancercell or a pancreatic cancer cell.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein theagent is an antagonist of PAK1.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein theagent is an antagonist of a polypeptide selected from the groupconsisting of UbcH10, nsurf, and JIK.
 20. The method of claim 1, whereinthe agent is a siRNA.
 21. A method of inducing apoptosis in a cancercell in an individual in need thereof, the method comprising,administering to the individual a therapeutically effective amount of i.an anti-DR5 affinity agent agonist; and ii. an apoptosis-inducing agent.22. The method of claim 21, wherein the agonist and the agent areadministered separately.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the agonistand the agent are administered as a mixture.
 24. The method of claim 21,wherein the anti-DR5 antibody has the binding specificity of an antibodycomprising: i. a heavy chain variable region comprising SEQ ID NO:8; andii. a light chain variable region comprising SEQ ID NO:10.
 25. Themethod of claim 24, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody comprises thecomplementarity determining regions of SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:10. 26.The method of claim 21, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody has the bindingspecificity of an antibody comprising: i. a heavy chain variable regioncomprising SEQ ID NO:4; and ii. a light chain variable region comprisingSEQ ID NO:5.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the anti-DR5 antibodycomprises the complementarity determining regions of SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQID NO:5.
 28. The method of claim 21, wherein the agonist is a humanizedantibody.
 29. The method of claim 21, wherein the agonist is a singlechain antibody.
 30. The method of claim 21, wherein the agent comprisesTRAIL.
 31. The method of claim 21, wherein the agent prevents or reducesthe expression of UbcH10.
 32. The method of claim 21, wherein the agentprevents or reduces the expression of BCL-2.
 33. The method of claim 30,wherein the agent prevents activation of NFκRB.
 34. The method of claim33, wherein the agent prevents degradation of IκB.
 35. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the agent is a proteasome inhibitor.
 36. The method ofclaim 35, wherein the proteasome inhibitor is selected from the groupconsisting of PS-341, MG-262 and MG-132.
 37. The method of claim 21,wherein the agent is an inhibitor of an Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP)protein.
 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the inhibitor is SMAC or aSMAC mimetic.
 39. The method of claim 21, wherein the cancer cell is acolon cancer cell or a pancreatic cancer cell.
 40. The method of claim21, wherein the agent is an antagonist of PAK1.
 41. The method of claim21, wherein the agent is an antagonist of a polypeptide selected fromthe group consisting of UbcH10, nsurf and JIK.
 42. The method of claim21, wherein the agent is a siRNA.
 43. A physiological compositioncomprising, a therapeutically effective amount of i. an anti-DR5affinity agent agonist; and ii. an apoptosis-inducing agent.
 44. Thephysiological composition of claim 43, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody hasthe binding specificity of an antibody comprising: i. a heavy chainvariable region comprising SEQ ID NO:8; and ii. a light chain variableregion comprising SEQ ID NO:10.
 45. The physiological composition ofclaim 44, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody comprises the complementaritydetermining regions of SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:10.
 46. Thephysiological composition of claim 43, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody hasthe binding specificity of an antibody comprising: i. a heavy chainvariable region comprising SEQ ID NO:4; and ii. a light chain variableregion comprisining SEQ ID NO:5.
 47. The physiological composition ofclaim 46, wherein the anti-DR5 antibody comprises the complementaritydetermining regions of SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:5.
 48. Thephysiological composition of claim 43, wherein the agonist is ahumanized antibody.
 49. The physiological composition of claim 43,wherein the agonist is a single chain antibody.
 50. The physiologicalcomposition of claim 43, wherein the agent comprises TRAIL.
 51. Thephysiological composition of claim 43, wherein the agent prevents orreduces the expression of UbcH10.
 52. The physiological composition ofclaim 43, wherein the agent prevents or reduces the expression of BCL-2.53. The physiological composition of claim 50, wherein the agentprevents activation of NFκB.
 54. The physiological composition of claim53, wherein the agent prevents degradation of IκB.
 55. The physiologicalcomposition of claim 43, wherein the agent is a proteasome inhibitor.56. The physiological composition of claim 43, wherein the agent is aninhibitor of an Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) protein.
 57. Thephysiological composition of claim 56, wherein the inhibitor is SMAC ora SMAC mimetic.
 58. The physiological composition of claim 43, whereinthe agent is an antagonist of PAK1.
 59. The physiological composition ofclaim 43, wherein the agent is an antagonist of a polypeptide selectedfrom the group consisting of UbcH10, nsurf and JIK.
 60. Thephysiological composition of claim 43, wherein the agent is a siRNA. 61.A method of inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell, the method comprisingcontacting the cell with an affinity agent with the binding specificityof an antibody comprising a heavy chain variable region comprising SEQID NO:8 and a light chain variable region comprising SEQ ID NO:10. 62.The method of claim 61, wherein the antibody comprises thecomplementarity determining regions of SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:10.